Dwarven Mountain Kingdoms

Forge King: Those of that given the right to rule over a kingdom through not blood but the will of the kingdom's leadership to rise to take up the title of King.   Assembly of Clans: Every kingdom has an assembly to represent the clans of the mountain, allowing them to have their say in matters of state and maneuver through politics.   Clan Keeper: The head of a clan that is in charge of all of its daily dealings to ensure they do what is needed to maintain their kingdom.   Clan Castes: Every clan within a mountain kingdom is placed into a caste that designates what jobs they can have when they are born into them.

Being A Member

  Our Heritage is that of honor and duty to our people. When we first came to the mountains, we had nothing but through its gifts we learned to grow and prosper with its stone interior. It is why our kingdoms are built within them, for what other place should a dwarf be but in their mountain home that blesses them with all they need. While we've been through are fair share of hardships, the mountains have always given us what was needed to help us endure them. In doing so, we grow stronger and reforged to become more resilient against all trials that we may face in the future. There for we must ensure that our kingdoms stay out of the problems of those that live outside of our mountains, for we care for none of their troubles that are not ours, and should they bring it with them, then we shall gladly cast them off of our home and see the ground below.  

What People Think

  To most people of Dageth and the world, mountain kingdoms have been known to be highly isolationist as long as anyone can remember in their long history since the other races interacted with them. It has often led to a lack of trust with them because of this, a few people are even allowed to enter them with special permission. This is mainly done for trade and diplomatic purposes when they feel like chatting with outsiders. The rest of the time, it's just keep out or pay the price for trespassing, which can be very hazardous if you value living. It doesn't help them gain any favors with the other races either, so it's just the kingdoms themselves that mostly deal with each other.

To ensure that our way of life is protected from all threats at all times.

Underground Resources: Almost all of their resources come from within the earth, ranging from mining to food than needing to gain resources from the surface.   Strongholds: Various mountain and underground holds and fortresses are scattered across the Forged Mountains and the Deep are under the control of the kingdoms.

Time of the Dwarves

  Long before the arrival of the Elves, Orcs, or even that of the Awakening, the Dwarven Kingdoms were the great power that ruled over Dageth from the highest peaks of the mountains to the vast underground tunnels and cavern system of The Deep. After the defeats of the Trolls that once ruled over the mountains of the continent, the Mountain Dwarves would create many strongholds across them to form their own kingdoms deep within them and create vast empires that spanned across the continent below its surface. Yet their power would only grow when they took control of the Deep after wiping out the destructive, chaotic Wryms that burrowed beneath the earth, constantly shifting it to feed their endless hunger, with only the tunnels from their burrowing remaining after the decades-long Tunnel Wars. After that point, the Dwarves would remain undisputed, ushering in a golden age for progress and learning as great Dwarven minds sought to become masters of the earth, creating technological wonders and mastering the ways for stone and metal to make the kingdoms advance far beyond feats not seen in much of the world at that time.     Yet none of the kingdoms would be prepared when the dragons took notice of the wealth the Dwarves had accumulated over the centuries, and waged the centuries-long Dragon Wars that nearly wiped out the Dwarves, unable to break through the hard, scaly hides of the fire-breathing beasts. This would not be the end, however, as the discovery of Black Powder would turn the tide of the war and lead to the extinction of the dragons, restoring peace and reforging the kingdoms to become stronger than ever before. It would, however, take decades to regain their proper footing from the conflict, and many more as they reclaimed their lost strongholds and underground passages from the Trolls that took advantage of the kingdom's weakness from the chaos the dragons brought. After some time, the Trolls were repealed, and the kingdoms sought to restore themselves to their former glory, and things went smoothly for a bit until the arrival of the Elves, that is. It would be the beginning of the end of their dominance after their arrival and the many events that would unfold with them.  

A Brave New World

  When the Elves set foot on Dageth they were met with caution by the Dwarves having already deal with other threats, but after knowing of the loss their homeland in the Western Lands on the Continent of Kinath they were allowed to stay in the lands outside of the mountains and would flourish for a time that was of course before the War of Light and Dark and the catastrophic Awakening that infused magic into almost everything across the continent with the Dwavres being unaffected by the magical energy. Leading them to deal with a strange new land filled with magic and new creatures that came with it, as they attempt to adapt to these new changes, and as they seek to maintain their dominance. It eventually led to the War of Stone and Wood between them and the Elves, which led to a standstill. It would only go downhill from there when the Orcs finally arrived on the continent, their brutality leading to the destruction of many of their hold, and with their alliance with the Troll and the creation of the Ogre race, ended their control over most of the Deep. By the time the first Black Blood horde was defeated, dwarven supremacy was fully shattered, with the kingdoms becoming a shadow of their former selves.     Since that time, the mountain kingdoms have gone into full isolation to ensure that their way of life is kept alive in their now hostile homeland. There are fortified defenses at the ready to ensure that all foes are held back as they attempt to rebuild and discover what was lost in their ancient halls. But not all has been good for them as one of their kingdoms, Aldrin, fell at the hands of a black blood horde, being one of the greatest losses the dwarven people have ever witnessed. Now fear and secrecy have become a mainstay within the kingdoms as they maintain whatever power they have left within their ancient culture. The future is uncertain now, but like many times before, Dwarven ingenuity and the refusal to give up may yet again aid in restoring what has been lost, and ensure that their way of life will never fade so long as the mountains that harbor them stand.