Since Age of Sigmar has yet to focus on the Dispossessed (they're Dwarfs not whatever a duardin is!) creating my own lore for them has been a challenge. After a few months of drawing, writing, outlining and thinking, here is what I have for my Age of Sigmar Dwarf Army. Any thoughts, corrections or advice, let me know:

The Ankor Volghar
King of the Realm: Oldor Borinsson of the Frostbeard Clan
Notable Characters: Logan Budriksson (Ranger), Thorr Budricksson (Thane of the Stormbolt Clan), Grimli RedAxe (Adventurer, son of King Oldor), Vanyra Vengryn (Axe Maiden), Sven Stoutbeard (Ironbreaker Ironbeard), Finn ‘Ironeye’ Baraggroth, Norian Wolfric (Unforged), Runesmith Myra (Apprentice)
Population: 110,000 (25,000 in the capital of Karak Volghar)
Prominent Clans: Frostbeard (royal/miners), Stormbolt (weaponsmiths/armoursmiths), Ironshield (warrior), Kalbodor (brewers), Ingenilddi (engineers), Rikkersson (runesmith)
Minor Clans: Dorbruki (farming), HammerStone (masons), Arbeider (mining), Grimwarden (shipbuilders), Brownmane (artisans)
Major Settlements: Karak Volghar, Kazad Wyr, Karak Karaki, Barak Urbaz, Durak Drobbak, Tharddriksson
Lost Settlements: Kazad Karin, Karak Bryn, Kazad Knol, Khazid Bodor, Undback Hirf,
Hold Location: In the Frattura Mountains of the Balitello Peninsula in the Northern Kingdoms of Zarcosia
Hold Uniformity: Prominently Blue-Grey (Space Wolf color), red used sparingly

HISTORY
The Ankor Volghar has existed since the Age of Myth and has stood the test of time against all those who have sought to defile the lands of the Dwarfs. Ankor Volghar rests in the Frattura Mountains on the Balitello peninsula within the Northern Kingdoms of Zarcosia in the Realm of Beasts. Zarcosia is a rather large continent, taking months to go east to west but half that heading north to south.

When the Dwarfs claimed the Frattura Mountains has been lost to time but we do know it was the Frostbeard Clan who led the expedition into the Realm of Beasts. Karak Volghar was the first hold established, named after a great beast, possibly a yhetti, said to have made his home in the mountains. The Dwarfs came in search of a new home as well as a special ore only found in the Realm of Beasts: Ghur Ore. It is special because its characteristics are similar to gromril, making it a useful resource for weapons, armour, tools, craftworks, castings, and trinkets. They are even strong enough to encase the power of runes. But the strangest characteristic of Ghur Ore is that it is a living entity. Veins can grow and die in a matter of months, even in tunnels that have been fully mined. While rewarding as this sounds, mining a living mountain presents dangers which the Dwarfs have encountered many times. These incidents include mines collapsing, fissures that split the surface to leave fissure scars that stretch deep into the earth, roads and villages swallowed whole as the landscape itself changes. This is how the mountain received its nickname, the Fractured Mountains.

The Great Quake

The Ankor Volghar was burgeoning in its young days thanks to Ghur Ore. Dwarfs from all realms wanted it and there was plenty in the ground to mine for everyone. The earthquakes remained but seemed to be dissipating over time. That all changed when Karak Graz, one of the newer holds in the realm, tapped into a healthy vein of Ghur Ore that stretched deep into the darkness of the earth. It was believed that this could have been the heart of all the Ghur Ore, like tracing the other veins into a vital organ. One day, the organ simply erupted. The rumbling was slow, but grew and shook more and more and more until it became difficult to stand at all. More shaking and more rumbling. Not even a volcano possessed this much power. Soon the ground itself began to split. The mighty Karak was being torn apart like a loaf of bread. And again. And again. And again, until Karak Graz itself tumbled into the earth. This was but the epicenter of the quake as the entire Frattura Mountains fracture. A great divide opened up, splitting the realm between north and south. When it was over, countless dawi lives were lost, as well as mines and vlllages erased from time. The remaining mountain holds north and south of the Great Fissure survived, but they were now cut off. It would take half a century for the Ankor Volghar to fully recover and another to complete the bridges that would link the two halves of the realm together. On the north side of the bridge, Kazad Karin was built over what was left of Karak Graz. To the south, two watchtowers were erected and a massive statue built into the side of the fissure to remember those that perished. As a result by the king’s decree and mining guilds oath ages ago, a cap per year was placed on Ghur Ore. For the most part, this has been successful in limiting natural disasters in the Ankor but it is not uncommon for more when some overzealous clans attempt to go over their quota. While Ghur Ore is still used in everyday life, it is considered to be in short supply as a result. Other minerals mined in the Frattura Mountains are tin, coal, iron, gemstones, granite and blood sapphires near Monte Furia.

Trade is a big business for the Dwarfs, not just with themselves but with the human kingdoms and the elves. The Free People of Balitello are their immediate trade partners but as well as the other kingdoms of Dreisenberg, Koscielny, Jaskiny and Astakos.

Dreisenberg is to the north, a land divided by its various terrains: rocky woods in the west and south, a tall grass plains that slope to the east, and the mysterious changing rivers at the heart of the land. Long ago, an ancient civilization lived here. Their magic was able to change the flow of the rivers and contain the outside inhabitants from their society, including the famed city Cathnir-a-man, a floating island city that traversed the many rivers. The details remain a mystery but a great doom fell upon this civilization, its name lost to time from the Age of Myth. Their society is gone, but their magic still lives on as the rivers continue to change course at random.

To the west lies Koscielny, a rustic land where it seems to be in perpetual autumn. Harvest is great here as the soil is ripe for farming. Swaths of forests speckle the many plains and fields. The free people here live rural lives, their villages spread out, their stone cities even further and few in number. Wild stallions roam free in Koscielny, but other noble and deadly beasts roam these lands. Their capital, Castle Wenger, is situated on a large bluff. The only way into the city is up the hill that faces the south. A large cliff faces the north which much of the city is built into, providing a great lookout for everyone to see and a scenic view of the setting sun.

The eastern neighbors are the poor lands of Jaskiny. They are an earthly people similar to the Dwarfs. Mining is big here, although most of the ores they find are tin, coal and some iron. The foothills here are home to large clans of ogors. They are as likely to trade and work for you as they are to kill and devour you. Their control of the central part of the country has grown over the years, so much so that it is difficult to traverse north to south without encountering an ogor checkpoint. The city of Strakhoten lies in the northeast near the Gora Woods. The city was built with one thing in mind: protection and self-sustainability. The walls are almost as high as its largest spires, making it nearly impossible to scale, while a moat separates the two tiers of walls. It also provides enough water for the surface and underground farms to sustain the population for years.

Further east is the exotic, mountainous lands of Astakos. Much of the land is high above sea level. Its capital Sophlicathi is one of the oldest cities known in Zarcosia. The surrounding mountains are large and thin of air but benefit the people that live there with natural mountain water. The most dominating set piece of Astakos is the Bite of Khotos. Legend has it that a titan of the sea emerged from the ocean and took a bite out of the land. The giant gulf that was left features hundreds of small islands. Most astounding is the unnatural way some smaller islands rise to the surface overnight while others sink back into the sea without waning. This sea is lawless but a strict honor code is held by all seafarers who try to lay claim to these islands.

The Dwarfs of the Ankor Volgar are the largest contingent of their kind on Zarcosia, but their brethren have other holds across the continent. As the realm grew larger, many clans set out across Zarcosia to create new homes for themselves.
In the northern hinterlands of Koscielny lies Karak Vlag. Known as the lonely mountain, it is a sharp spire of rock that sticks out as if the gods dropped the mountain from the sky. The 18,000 Dwarfs of Karak Vlag are rich for their resources on the surface but must contend with the roaming goblins and beastmen of the hinterlands. North of Dreisenberg is Karak Varf. The northern mountains are their domain and they are ruthless to defend it, for there are many enemies that wish to despoil their hold. Not just Greenskins or Skaven, but darker creatures that serve the Chaos Gods are said to lurk in the darkest ravines. The Cult of Slaanesh are rumored to be hiding here from the ruthless servants of Malerion as they search for their mislaid master. There are also a high number of wolfs in the areas, hence the name of the hold. Further east of Balitello are the dwarfs of Zhufkhragg Agrul, located behind a waterfall north of the Astakos capital of Sophlicathi. It is a dwarf hold built into a deep spiraling crag, rich in minerals, including Ghur Ore. The hold is hidden amongst the mountain and only can be uncovered by the Dwarfs of the hold. They also possess their own port in the Bite of Khotos.
The clans of the Ankor Volghar are known for their aggressive tactics when it comes to warfare. They can sit back and let the enemy come to them, but at the first sign of weakness or break in the enemy, they will strike. Warriors and Quarrellers form the bulk of their infantry but they also utilize rangers and miners to get behind enemy lines or to flank the enemy. Gunpowder weapons and artillery are in ample supply in the throng’s ranks and walls. However it is the gyrocopters and gyrobombers that have become their new favorite mechanism of war. Their versatility for reconnaissance, transporting troops and supplies, as well as battlefield effectiveness, has helped reconnect the Ankor Volghar with its lost lands and allies.

The alliance between humans, elfs and dwarfs was once considered unbreakable back in the Age of Myth. Everything changed when the Age of Chaos unfolded.

The War of the North
When mighty SIgmar closed his gates to the Realm of Heavens, the mortal realms were left to defend themselves against the monstrosities of the Chaos Gods. One by one, kingdoms and societies were enslaved or destroyed. As the Age of Chaos progressed and the forces of the Dark Gods began to consume more of the mortal realms, it was only a matter of time before Chaos descended upon the Northern Kingdoms of Zarcpsoa. This came in the physical incarnation of Khorne’s forces who marched from the east, slaughtering all that came before them, led by their malicious leader Lord Sigor. To counter this great threat, the kingdoms of humans, Dwarfs and Elfs banded together to tackle this threat. Meeting in the open plains east of Astakos, Order and Chaos did battle.

Unfortunately it was Chaos who reigned supreme. Their victory was major and shattered the Forces of Order. By some miracle, the forces of Order were able to retreat to their respective kingdoms as Sigor’s forces were held up by a large force of Greenskins and Ogres. With the path opened, Sigor decided to split his forces into two armies: one to take out the kingdoms on the coast while his main force would march across the large Kingdom of Dreisenberg. The southern army ran into little opposition as the humans of Astakos and Jaskiny were easily thwarted. Their people went into hiding in either the Bite of Khotos or the foothills of Jaskviny. Strakhoten was able to hold out against the Khorne onslaught because of its high, thick walls. Since they weren’t much of a threat, the Khorne army continued their march west to Balitello and Barak Urbaz. In a desperate attempt to halt the eastern advance, the Dwarfs collapsed the entire mountainside to block the pass to Barak Urbaz. With no way to access the mountains from the border pass, the Khorne army was at a dead end. As a result, Sigor’s main army was forced to divert and assault Ankor Volghar in order to merge the chaos armies on the lowlands of the peninsula. The entirety of the Dwarf Kingdom was summoned to halt Sigor’s Army from desecrating the realm. Even the human city of Balitello lent their aid, the most notable of them the Blades of Durrazzan. The Humans and Dwarfs had minor success at first repelling the enemy, but Sigor’s army was able to gain a foothold in the mountains by sacking the fortress of Bar Drog.

If this was not bad enough for the Dwarfs, a Greenskin WAAAGH! emerged from the northwest led by the Orc Warboss, Drukud Hellchoppah. Drawn together by the defeated tribes at the hands of Chaos across Dreisenberg, Drukud was able to unite the broken Greenskin clans into a (somewhat) cohesive army and marched south to confront Sigor himself as well as smash some stuntie ‘eads. The first to fall against this WAAAGH!!! was the walled city of Khazid Bogor. The siege lasted two days, a sea of green surrounding the city before it drowned the stone settlement. More blood was spilt across the northern mountains as the fighting raged for ten months with hundreds and thousands of corpses littered the ridges, narrow passes, peaks and valleys of Ankor Volghar. Dwarf, Human, Ogre, Orc, Grot, and Khorne warriors alike battled one another with little ground gained and conceded by the three forces. This flow of blood strengthened the Khorne army, however, as their god rewarded them with gifts to his favorite warriors and reinforcements of daemons. With these new troops, Sigor’s forces were reinvigorated and pushed on Kazad Knol. The mountain hold had held out against the Greenskins and Chaos armies for months, but it would be the fifth siege that it would not withstand. However, thanks to the sacrifice of Lord Bragnus Bouldergut and his hold’s warriors, they were able to hold off Khorne’s troops long enough for the bulk of the Ankor Volghar’s troops to retreat. Bragnus had even managed to wound Sigor, but he eventually slayed by the champion of Khorne. Angered by Dwarfs’ mysterious retreat, he put Kazad Knol to the torch. With Kazad Knol destroyed, the road to Kazad Karin, the last Dwarf city of the north, was now open. Unbeknownst to Sigor or the Greenskins, there was also a realm gate inside the fortress city that led to the Dwarf capital. Such a prize could not be relinquished by the dawi for it would be the end for the Dwarfs. King Baragor Frostbeard, ruler of the Ankor Volghar, was forced to formulate a desperate plan to end the threat of Sigor and the encroaching Greenskins. They would use the mountain city as bait to lure the two armies together. The hope was that the Dwarfs would be able to draw the full might of Sigor’s forces into a siege, leaving them vulnerable to the Greenskins to assail them. The Dwarfs prepared for the siege with King Bargor Frostbeard swearing an oath to protect the realm by any means necessary.

Baragor’s Triumph
The Chaos forces descended upon the killing fields near Kazad Karin on the 17th morning of the 11th month of fighting. While his troops were exhausted, they thirsted for more battle, with Khorne continuing to bless them with more gifts and daemonic servants. Sensing a major victory and the prospect of promotion to daemonhood, Sigor committed all his forces to taking the Dwarf City. Outnumbering the Dwarfs two to one, the Khorne Army threw themselves to the bloodthirst against the walls. Despite countless attacks on the gate and attempts to breach the ramparts, the Dwarfs resolve and preparation prevented Khorne from breaking through. When a bloodthirster attempted to breach the ramparts of the wall, Baragor himself took to the walls to dispatch the daemon. With his runic weapon, he took out its legs, bringing the monster to its knees, then brought it down into its unholy skull, smiting the daemon from reality. The siege lasted a full day, but at noon on the next day, WAAAGH! Drukund arrived on Sigor’s flank. Just as predicted, the chaos army was caught between a hammer and anvil. The fighting intensified on the killing grounds with choppa, axe, and flail breaking bodies while the Dwarf artillery did not need to aim at all: whatever they fired at below was going to find an enemy to kill. As the Greenskins surged forwards, it seemed hope was restored for the city, but it did not last long.
After beating back Khorne’s forces, the Greenskins assaulted the walls of Kazad Karin themselves. With their defenses worn down, the Greenskins were able to breach the gate with a rather unruly Giant who ripped the hinges off the gate. At that moment, Baragor recognized Kazad Karin was doomed. Soon scores of Greenskins and Chaos warriors surged through the breach and continued fighting inside the halls of the hold. All three armies then began the slaughter as Dwarf, Human, Greenskin, Ogre, and servants of the blood god battled it out. This grand slaughter pleased Khorne greatly as he saw his great victory was becoming reality. It was not much longer when King Baragor was forced to use his final solution: to implode the city and close off the northern pass from the rest of the realm.

To save as many of his kin as he could, Baragor led his remaining forces to the entrance to the bridge that overlapped The Great Fissure. This was the only known bridge left that connected the northern mountain range to the rest of the realm. They would hold this position to allow the citizen Dwarfs to retreat, either over the pass or through the realmgate to Karak Volghar. The remaining Blades of Durazzan volunteered to stay to the end with their Dwarven allies. While much of his kinsdwarf retreated to safety, Baragor would not be one of them. His wife and three sons would be the last to leave through the portal inside the citadel. Once they vanished and the bridge was clear, the king gave his final order….
At some point during the siege, Drukud and Sigor met inside the Great Hall and squared off. The fight was violent, intense, and quick with Drukud smashing aside Sigor’s weapon and imbedding his HellChoppa into his opponent’s skull. Just as he tossed his adversaries corpse aside and let out a victorious cry to his troops, a loud series of explosions erupted. The mountain itself began to implode and the pass that spanned the massive fissure collapsed into the ravine below. The remaining Dwarfs welcomed death as they had fulfilled their oaths to protect Ankor Volghar. Drukud was killed as well when the ceiling collapsed in the Great Hall. The explosion and debris smothered most of those fighting inside the city. What was left of Sigor’s forces retreated north back into Dreisenberg. Many died along the way from the retreating Greenskins, who now had claim to the ruins of the north. What was left of Sigor’s army made it back to Abhorrence Hold in Dreiseberg where they remain to this day.

Meanwhile, the second Khorne army had lost patience waiting for Sigor and managed to steal ships from Jaskiny to assault the coast of Balitello. They landed on the southern coast and began to pillage the villages on the open plains. What was still left of the Balitello army met the Khorne army but was quickly put to the blade. Less than half their forces were able to retreat back west towards the Capital of Savarino. Monte Cino, the fortress overlooking the southeast on a ridiculously high spire of rocks, that had given the warning of the incoming threat, was left alone, due to the near impossible task of assaulting it. The nearby cities of Vermo, Termo, and Fermo refused to send aid in fear their rival cities would attack one another. Left unchecked, the county of Sartosa was effectively razed to the ground, her key port also put to the torch. In an attempt to cut off the remaining human forces before they reached the western river, the chaos army entered the woods surrounding Monte Furia to try to cut them off. Without warning, the dormant volcano erupted and something horrific emerged from the large cloud plume. Not lava, fire, or ash, but anger incarnated, emerged in the form of a monstrous winged beast. It descended upon the chaos army and eradicated them from existence. Its fiery breath scarred the very earth, leaving behind charred ground that still exists to this day. The only visual accounts of this come from the defenders of Monte Cino who were high above the clouds to witness the horrific yet beautiful destruction that unfolded upon the chaos army. They described the giant winged figure in the shape of a dragon, its body engulfed in living magma which illuminated the sky orange. The light it emanated was far enough to see from Karak Vlag and Karak Varf. There were no survivors that day, as all those who fought in the vicinity surrounding Monte Furia were purged by fire. The beast was said to have lingered for another day before returning inside the volcano. It has remained dormant to this day.

Aftermath
The Ankor Volghar was saved but at a terrible price. Under half of the population died in the war, including the king. The realm north of the Great Fissure was completely lost to the remnants of Greenskins that stayed. The settlements surrounding Monte Furia were also destroyed by the beast. The eastern road that led to Barak Urbaz would take generations to clear before trade could be reopened. This loss of a trade route would not only hurt the Ankor Volghar, but now Balitello and Jaskviy lost their main trading route, forcing them to rely mainly on sea trade. Rebuilding the realm would be long but achievable. Rebuilding the trust amongst allies would take longer. As other Chaos forces marched throughout Zarcosia, allies begat one another in order to protect themselves. Despite their foes being isolated, Chaos would never gain more than a foothold in Zarcosia.

The Kingdom of Balitelo was dissolved in the days following the end of the war. The infighting of the cities and massive loss of life forged disintegrated nationalism amongst the citizens, resulting in the creation of separate nations and sovereignties. They would still interact with one another in friendly trade, but would refuse to aid one another in times of crisis. Greed, jealousy, and insecurity had broken the peninsula country. The southeast has slowly regrown following the destruction brought forth by the beast of Monte Furia, but Sartosa was a broken county. Adrianna was crippled from the collapse of the mountainside, becoming a clandestine region with no real form of leadership after the kingdom dissolved. Outside of Adrianna, the Dwarfs were still met as allies, but spurned of aid during the centuries of rebuilding. Some other unfriendly acts – including the insult and dishonor of Prospector Jogan at the hands of the human nobles of Adrianna, an unspoken act that humiliated Jogan so much he swore the Unforged Oath – have created minor grudges against the separate city states. Only Durrazzan, the human city in the southern Frattura Mountains, remains on great terms with the Dwarfs. It is still considered part of the Kingdom of Balitello, which is barely held together in the northwest, with its capital Savarino on the western coast acting more independent these days. The Durrazzan Pass in the west and the Tharrdrick Highway in the northwest are the only major trade routes open until the eastern pass by Barak Urbaz is cleared again.

Notable Character Bios
Logan Budriksson (Ranger)
Logan is an unusual Dwarf who enjoys the outdoors more than being stuck underground. Rather than continue his families long tradition of blacksmithing, the younger Budriksson brother passed up the hammer and chose to take the bow of the ranger. At 93 years old, Logan is considered a young veteran. He has traveled across the majority of Zarcosia, sailed south across the punishing sea and has also visited the Realms of Metal, Life and Fire. Yet one story that precedes him is based off a ranging into the Yhetti Valley where he searched for a band of missing dwarfs, a cave with a hungry herd of yhettis, and an oddly curious ogre who he befriended. He rarely talks about it or whatever happened to the ogre. His reputation is high or besmirched depending on who you talk to about it. Logan is considered one of the Ranger Commanders in Ankor Volghar. He represents the creed of Ankor Volghar: aggressive when needed, patient when possible. He carries a crossbow, throwing axes, a great weapon and a yhetti cape from his infamous ranging. He makes his home in Karak Karaki, The Ranger Mountain.

Thorr Budricksson (Thane of the Stormbolt Clan)
The eldest Budriksson brother and Thane of the Stormbolt Clan, Thorr is a proven warrior in combat and noble in his duty to his clan. He is serious in nature, carrying the burden of his family’s reputation, but he has grown a lighter side thanks to his brother Logan. That does not mean both Dwarfs always get along. Quite the contrary. Both brothers tend to argue a lot even when they agree; such is the stubbornness of Dwarfs. He is 98 years old, one of the youngest dwarfs in history to lead his clan. Thorr proved himself by working non-stop in his family’s forge, crafting suits of armour with great detail and quality. He also has shown great business skills by bringing in more wealth than the clan has ever experienced. During the King’s granddaughter’s 9th birthday, he produced for her a small bucker she could play with to ‘fight’ goblins. It was a fine gift that put the Stormbolts into his majesty’s good graces. Today, he is the head of the blacksmithing guild of Karak Volghar and personally oversees the creation of all weapons and armour for the throng.
Expeditions into the Realm of Metal and Fire have seen him battle Greenskins, Undead, fyre elfs, the ruinous powers of chaos and even his own tainted kin. Thorr’s best achievement was the rescue of the king’s youngest son and heir Broli who was delivering a caravan that was ambushed by Ogors and Trolls. He created his own suit of armour and wields his family’s war axe, passed down to him by his father, and his father’s father, and his father’s father father before him and so forth. The Stormbolt Clan resides in Karak Volghar.

Grimli RedAxe (Adventurer, son of Older)
At first glance at Grimli you would partake him to be an old miner with his dirty ginger beard and tough skin. Quite the contrary. Grimli is only 99 winters old. He is also of royal blood, the son of King Oldor. What may not be known is why the son of the king makes his home on the outer stretches of Ankor Volghar. Grimli was always the adventurous type, taking after his great great great great great great grandfather Dimzad, who explored all of Zarcosia and established the Rangers Guild. Grimli never had intentions to be a ranger, but the stories he heard as a child of brave dwarfs traveling to find treasure and reclaim lost holds inspired him. After his mother passed away, Grimli left the mountain capital and traveled across the realm. He took up the name RedAxe to hide his identity as a traveling warrior. With his band of friends, the Axes of Grungi, the traveling party provide their services to their kin whenever needed. Their most infamous deed was the rescuing of the princess of Karak Varf – a feat which earned quite the tale in the drinking halls of Karak Volghar. They speak of the young RedAxe lad who slew half a dozen black orcs singlehandedly, including their Big Boss, rescued Princess Olga and stole her heart in the process. This deed effectively ruined her marriage to Prince Ketri Gravelhand - one of the well-regarded families of Karak Varf – who bestowed a grudge on the adventurous dwarf.

Oldor Frostbeard (King of Ankor Volghar)
At 343 years old, Oldor has seen almost everything. Still stern enough to brandish his Warhammer in battle, Oldor has lived a good life and has helped rebuild the Ankor Volghar during his short time on the throne (229 years to be precise by dwarf standards). After his father passed away, the realm fell to him to protect. With the northern reaches still lost and the eastern mountains still being contested, Oldor’s first priority was to consolidate the Frattura Mountains and return it as close as possible to its pre-war era. The fortifications were refurbished along the borders, rangers stretched on longer trips to extend the eyes of Karak Volghar and the population and health of his people were on the rise. His best accomplishment might have been the completion of the colonization of the western mountain range that his great, great, great, great grandfather began. After years of fighting the Black Grot’s forces with the forces of Dreisenberg, they had reopened the range for settlement, but Drinzad’s death stalled much progress, his ideas lost to time. Centuries later, the colonization and extermination of goblins was complete and Tharddriksson and the surrounding area was established. To solve the issue of trade with the north and the east, Oldor took the advice of his council and established the throng’s first air force of gyrocopters and gyrobombers. Their versatility in battle, reconnaissance and trade had an immediate impact. Oldor has been progressive for a dwarf, but he still adheres to tradition and seeks to continue to make his ancestors proud. Oldor wields a Warhammer passed along in his family named Oldor’s Justice. He is the father to two sons, Grimli and Broli. His wife, Magtha, perished in an earthquake caused by the Higurds Clan for breaking the quota on Ghur Ore. In his anger, Oldor banished them from the realm and the Northern Kingdoms entirely.

Runesmith Myra Anvol (Apprentice)
The Runesmith Guilds are protective of their knowledge to craft runes. These secretly guarded skills are passed down generation at a time within families and clans. Some runesmiths are so protective of their knowledge that many of them fail to find a worthy successor, and end up taking their art with them to the grave. Myra is an exception. She was born in Khazid Dramk, a village on the southern edge of the Yhetti Valley. Her family, the Anvols, are a vassal to Karak Karaki and supply the hold with lumber and ore from a nearby mine. They have never been wealthy nor have accomplished great deeds. None of that mattered for Myra. Optimistic, passionate and thirsting to learn, she always dreamed of becoming someone that would bring pride to the Anvol name. When she was a beardling, a runemaster came to Khazid Dramk. In return for allowing him to rest in their village, he inscribed runes to some of the villagers. One of them was Myra’s father who had his tools inscribed to never wear from the strenuous work. Watching the runemaster work and the gratitude he shared with his kin, it was then Myra knew she wanted to be just like him. When she was old enough to travel, she journeyed to the various libraries across the realm to learn about runesmithing and tried to obtain an apprenticeship. Between her studies learning everything she could on runesmithing, she bartended on the side. Being from a small village with little interaction with large numbers of Dwarfs, she picked up a few interpersonal skills and learned how to treat her fellow Dwarf. Things seemed to be going well for Myra until tragedy struck back at home when she received word her parents were slain by a pack of roaming yhetti’s while they were working in the valley. That night, Myra somberly worked in the brewhall when an elderly Dwarf sat at the bar. The greying longbeard seemed troubled so she got herself right and stroked up a conversation with him. Somehow the conversation got to runesmithing and she demonstrated her knowledge without a flinch. The longbeard seemed spurred on and began questioning her, to which Myra countered with the correct answer on basic precision, method and fusion techniques. As the two Dwarfs held their conversation, only interrupted when Myra had to do her duties as a bartender, the longbeard’s spirits were raised as the night went on. Eventually they were the only two left in the hall. So impressed was the elder Dwarf that he pulled out a paper and handed it to the female bartender. It was a contract to join the runesmith guild. This was Jormund Rikkersson, famed runesmith of Ankor Volghar, and he had found his new apprentice in Myra Anvol.

Sven Stoutbeard (Ironbreaker Ironbeard of the 8th Legion)
Since he was a youngling, Sven has known only war. When he was younger, he originally wanted to enter the studies and become a dwarf of the high court. Those plans changed when he witnessed the death of his parents when they were returning from the academies of Kazad Gorak in the Realm of Metal. He survived the Skaven ambush but he was a changed dwarf from that day on. He dedicated his life to the art of war and took the path of the Ironbreaker. He has fought countless battles above and below ground against the diabolical Skaven as well as the sneaky night goblins. After years of fighting, he was promoted to the commander of the 8th Ironbreaker Legion, the most prestige conventional fighting force in Ankor Volghar.

Skeet Skeet’s Folly
When he was 87 years old, Karag Wyr was besieged underground by a large skaven host. Their leader was the notorious Skeet Skeet the Black, a menacing skaven whose black fur was as dark as the midnight sky. He had successfully taken down two other dwarf holds in the realms of fire and metal and looked to add a third to his resume. The tunnel fighting under Karag Wyr was intense as the skaven tried to throw their numbers superiority at the dwarf shield walls, but time and time again, the armoured dwarfs threw them back. Sven was deployed with the 3rd Ironbreaker Legion at the time. Their responsibility was to guard entrance to the lower forges in the seventh deep which had been breached earlier in the intial assault. Sven’s unit held their position for the first day and a half with no ground surrendered. The skaven later brought their warp fire throwers to break the dwarf ranks but the Irondrakes were able to make short work of the ratmen. Unfortunately, the dwarfs lost their Ironbeard in the assault, prompting Sven to take charge. The dwarfs continued to hold for the next two days as it seemed the lower forges became the focus of the ratmen. Despite their stubbornness, the dwarfs were eventually pushed back into the forge halls when a swarm of rat ogres charged their ranks. The disciplined lined were broken in the open space and the ensuing battle became a skirmish. Sven was forced on his heels as a particular rat ogre tried to rip him apart. He was able to block its attack, break the monster’s two legs, then slammed his axe into its throat, ending its vile life. He and three other ironbreakers then brought down another rat ogre before Skeet Skeet and his stormvermin arrived. While they were skilled fighters for skaven, they were unable to penetrate the gromril armour of the dwarfs. Sven had just dispatched two stormvermin when Skeet Skeet came at him from behind. The black rat’s vicious attacks with blades and barbed tail bounced off Sven’s shield, then the rat jumped onto the ironclad warrior, but Sven was able to throw him to the ground. As he backed up, he tripped over a fallen irondrake. Exposed, Skeet Skeet jumped at his opportunity to kill, but Sven turned in time to counter. The axe found flesh, but it did not seem to bother him. Skeet Skeet’s next attack knocked his axe out of his hands, leaving him exposed. But Sven caught the ensuing attack with his left hand and countered with his armoured fist into Skeet Skeet’s face. As the black rat staggered back to his feet, Sven grabbed a drakefire gun from a fallen irondrake and unleashed its fiery cartridge into his enemy’s face, ending Skeet Skeet’s life. With their leader dead and dwarf reinforcements arriving, the skaven were routed from Karag Wyr. For his actions, Sven earned praises from across the city for leading the defense of the forges and didn’t have to pay for drinks for 10 years. It would take another six months before the underway of Karag Wyr would be rid of the remaining Skaven.

Finn ‘Ironeye’ Barggroth (Engineer)
A master engineer and curious inventor, Finn has pushed the boundaries in dwarf ingenuity. Not only is he an expert in siege warfare but also an expert brewer. The Barggroths are well-known brewers across the Ankor Volghar for their complex brews, but Finn has tried to improve the art of brewing for all dwarf-kind. One of his criticized inventions is the zigger-mifflin, a giant contraption he hopes one day will greatly speed up production of ale. While there are now gyrocopters available, Finn has been working on a small-engine gyropack, able to propel a dwarf off the ground and hover for short distances. Finn’s odd nature and pension for inventions has made him good friends with Thorr Budriksson. His family’s brewery and workshop are located in the west near the Great Lake of Stone.

Barggroth’s Cherrywood Adventure
During a break from his studies, Finn – then an apprentice engineer – was helping his family create a new ale. Their last two batches of an experimental new combination of flavors had failed to find an audience, so the Barggroth Clan needed this third concoction to succeed or else the clan would be broke. One night, Orc Raiders attacked the town. They were driven off, but not before the Greenskins had managed to break into the storehouse and stole the three barrels of the experimental ale. Greatly angered by this thievery, Finn joined a few of his clansmen as they sought after the Orcs. They tracked them down into the lowlands of Balitello. Slowed down by their loot, the Dwarfs were able to catch up to them on the edge of the Cherrywoods. They got there just in time as the Orcs had opened the three barrels of the experimental ale to consume. The ensuing skirmish was violent but quick as the Dwarfs destroyed the Orc Raiders. Unfortunately during the scrum, one of the opened barrels spilled onto the ground, while the other two became littered with Cerona Cherries. This dark fruit – which the Cherrywood forest derived its name from with its red pedals, long branches and ample supply of the cherry – oozed a dark colored juice and offered a tarty yet sweet taste to it. Finn was the first of his group to sample the cherries. During the fight, Finn was knocked back into a tree by one of the Orcs. Finn dodged the oncoming choppa from the Orc, but the tree was struck so hard that a large branch fell on and knocked both combatants face first into the ground. The Orc was quickly dispatched by other Dwarfs as Finn returned to his feet with a mouthful of cherries and unfinished beer splattered across his face. By itself, the taste of the cherries was nothing to behold, but the scent and mix with the beer gave him an idea. After convincing his fellow kin, the Dwarfs saved the remaining two barrels, gathered a few more cherries and returned to their brewery to finish the ale with their exotic ingredient. The batch turned out to be a huge success as the Dwarfs enjoyed the uplifting complex taste. Trade agreements were made between the Barggorths and the people of Cerona that would mutually benefit both sides. Aptly named Barggroth’s Cherrywood Adventure, it quickly became the clan’s most prominent beer in the Ankor Volghar.

Norian Wolfric (Unforged)
(For Later)

Vanyra Vengryn (Axe Maiden)
Originally born Vanyra Darblissi, she grew up on the eastern border of the realm at Undbak Hirf with her father Gidrick, mother Aelka and brother Derdrick. The citadel had become a small town over the centuries as the north fell during the war. Vanyra was allowed to train in axe and shield by her father when she was not busy helping around the halls. As the lord of the keep, he was busy most of the time to teach her so her brother Derdrick taught her how to fight. She looked up to him for his relentless effort to succeed. A positive thinker, Vanyra tries to push herself and debunk expectations set for her by others. In fact, it is her dream to join the Axe Maidens, a renowned warrior order of female dwarfs. She takes many traits from her brother Derdrick was a well accomplished warrior who strived to be the perfect dwarf, both in arms and in a leadership role. That never came to pass as Derdrick suffered a string of defeats and lost many friends in a failed reclamation expedition of an allies lost hold in the Realm of Fire. It was during that campaign he encountered the Chaos Dwarfs for the first time. They fought with a fury he never experienced before. They were superior at times to himself and his kin, forcing the expedition to abandon their quest and return home in tatters. The knowledge that his kin could succumb to the taint of the dark gods scarred Derdrick, shaking the foundation of his morals which left him dumbfounded. Soon a whisper began to enter his mind. It grew louder into a voice that was speaking to him, warping his thoughts and manipulating the solemn dwarf. The events that followed would not only define his path but Vanyra’s quest in life…

The Betrayal at Undbak Hirf
Undbak Hirf was a fortress in the northeast part of Ankor Volghar on the northern edge of the Yhetti Valley. Established shortly after the fall of Kazad Karin, the fortress has stood for centuries as a welcome way for travelers, traders and other Dawi traversing from the East. It withstood assaults from the ravening Greenskins and the vile Skaven. The fortress also served as a launching point as its forces met and destroyed Mugnog the Ever-Hungry and his band of Ogres in the Slavak Pass. Despite its reputation, Undbak Hirf would not last forever. The eyes of the Chaos Gods once again descended on Zarcosia. They remembered how humbled they were against the mortals, particularly the Dwarfs. Rather than launch a full scale invasion, they turned to the Chaos Dwarfs this time to confront their kin. Originating from the realm of fire, they discovered a long lost realm gate on the northwestern edge of the Gora Woods in Jaskiny. From there, they marched west through the abandoned eastern mountain range. After days of marching, they assaulted the fortress under cover of darkness. The sounds of its unholy siege engines echoed throughout the Frattura Mountains as its devastating weapons tore into the stone walls. By midday, the fortress was in bad shape but Gidrick refused to yield. The next night, a cloaked figure snuck into the gatehouse, slayed the four guards and opened the main gate. It was Derdrick, who then tossed his torch out the window to signal his new allies. The Chaos Dwarfs stormed inside and made haste of the unprepared Dwarfs. With Vanyra and Aelka watching from inside the citadel, Derdrick finished his betrayal by killing his father for all to see in the courtyard. Fortunately, the Darblissi women escaped with 50 other survivors through secret passes underneath Undback Hirf to warn the rest of the Dawi.

After they settled in Karak Volghar safe and sound, Vanyra collapsed. She was a broken dwarf, unsure what to believe after witnessing the two important men in her life die in front of her: her father’s last breath and her brother’s first as a servant of chaos. Thanks to her mother, she would recover and return to her normal self. What also helped snap her out of her stupor was her mother’s sudden labor she had hidden for months. It was not long when the 60 year old dwarf swore an oath to avenge her father’s death and bring her brother to justice. With her prior experience with axe and shield, the Axe Maiden’s invited her to train with them. She soon gained a feisty reputation and the nickname Vanyra Vengryn was born.

The War of the Black Beard
When Chaos conquered the mortal realms, the mortal races were left to defend themselves as their gods retreated from the encroaching storm. The Dwarfs suffered greatly during the Age of Chaos as many holds were sacked and gutted from the very earth across the mortal reals. Many fought off the furious tide and found a way to survive, but some succumbed to the lures of the ruinous powers. How this occurred, the Dwarfs will not speak of it. Years before Sigmar’s mighty thunderbolts unleashed his first Stormcast Legions, the now-tainted Chaos Dwarfs struck without warning. Their unsuspecting kin in the Realm of Fire were the first to fall to their twisted blades and siege weapons. One prominent hold that fell was Karag Haraz. It was renamed Zharr-Haraz after its new residents took control. Their mountain city, built into the side of a volcano, had held out against the ruinous powers, but now in the hands of the Chaos Dwarfs, it would become the staging point for their new conquests. Attempts to retake the hold were turned aside, the very terrain used to defend its former inhabitants now worked against them in unison with the unrelenting fury of the vile siege machines. The Chaos Dwarfs would consolidate their new territory and establish Blackfang Hold close to a realm gate not far from their hold. Eventually they would use this realmgate to invade Zarcosia.

After Undback Hirf fell, the Chaos Dwarfs were left unopposed in the eastern reaches of Ankor Volghar and began their path of destruction. Led by their general Fharrahk Coalbeard, the fallen Dwarfs swept aside smaller villages in the encroaching dark wave heading southwest towards the fortress city. Those who were not slain were enslaved and brought back to the Realm of Fire to Zharr Haraz. Amongst them were the Hauskal Clan, third cousins to Frostbeards. It was estimated around 1,500 Dwarfs were enslaved and brought back to the Realm of Fire. Fortunately, the Chaos Dwarfs sacking in the east and monstrous siege engines slowed their advance as word spread of the dark infection that had entered the realm.

For the next six months, the Ankor Volghar became a battlefield. Small and large confrontations erupted mostly in the north and northeast ranges, but the fighting did spill into parts of the Yhetti valley. Still reeling from the sudden advance of the Chaos Dwarfs, the Ankor Volghar could not assemble and disembark their troops fast enough to the east. Ground was lost and recaptured time and again, but with the full throng unable to assemble at one point, the best the Dwarfs could do was hold the Chaos Dwarfs until such a time full battle could be met. Durak Drobakk, the artisan city of the Brownmanes, eventually fell after weeks of bitter fighting. Her beautiful spires and statues were brought to rubble or defaced by its conquerors.

Approaching the heart of the southern realm, the Chaos Dwarfs came upon the Fractured Bluffs. If they managed to cross it, the Ankor Volghar would be in jeopardy of collapsing. However, it was Dwarven airpower and the Rangers of Karak Karaki that turned the tide of the war.

With the narrow overpasses and thin bluffs to traverse, the Chaos Dwarfs had little maneuverability presenting prime targets for coordinated fire by the siege machines. Logan Budricksson and his rangers were pivotal in bogging down the Chaos Dwarfs with enfilading fire from the flanking bluffs, as well as attacks from the rear on the siege machines. The miners also helped out by opening and closing tunnels for ambushes as well as damaging roads and bridges for them to cross. These quick paralyzed the Chaos Dwarfs and made then easy targets for the gyrocopters, gyrobombers, and siege machines. The Dawi Zharr suffered terrible losses upon the bluffs as Dwarf and siege machines fell into the basin. Beleaguered logistically, the Chaos Dwarfs were forced to fall back. It was the first real victory for the Ankor Volghar and the turning point in the war. The throng was finally building momentum as they gained their strength. While the Chaos Dwarfs were able to adjust their tactics against the air force, they were constantly harassed, never able to mount a serious counterattack for the rest of the war. Fharrahk’s forces fought on but the opposing throng was invigorated and fought with relentless fury he had not seen before. With their supplies dwindling, the Chaos Dwarfs were driven back to the ruins of Undback Hirf. It was here where the might of Ankor Volghar was finally unleashed as pitched battle was met.

Weakened but not defeated, the Chaos Dwarfs put up a strong defense. Their dark siege machines, operated by their twisted engineers and droves of ogor and dwarf slaves, unleashed hell upon the advancing Dwarf forces. They countered with their own precise artillery, the hail of cannon, organ guns, grudge and bolt throwers unloading into the ranks of the enemy. Many Dwarfs fell from enemy fire, surely more would once combat was met, but the throng of Ankor Volghar marched forward determined to dispel their fallen kin from their lands. Leading the front were scores of Ironbreakers and veteran ranks of warriors and longbeards. A manga cannon blasted a gyrobomber out of the sky, its mechanical corpse falling to the ground in what was to become no-man’s land. In the second wave were shock troops of more longbeards, irondrakes, and hammerers to swipe at the enemy. Commencing their underground advance, the miners tunneled behind enemy lines to assault their rear. An organ gun that had jammed earlier unleashed all four of its barrels into a regiment of coal colored Dwarfs in ironclad armour. Half their number collapsed to the ground with a handful more losing their resolve choosing to retreat from the battle. Rangers fired from their elevated positions on the residing hills.

As the gyrocopters and gyrobombers made their final bombing run, three blasts from the center of the army sounded. The Kings orders: charge. Both masses of Dwarfs collided like two walls thrown against each other. Shields locked together as the skirmish quickly reminisced a shoving match more than a melee. As the shock troops from both sides entered the fray, the battle opened up and the shield walls broke. Axe and hammer shattered shields while bolt and bullet pierced torsos of friend and foe alike. Bull Centaurs charged into the bulk of troops supported by Hobgoblin wolf riders. They were met by the steel of longbeards and hammerers infused by the powers of their runepriests. They piled into the skirmish to bring down their mounted foes. In the thick of it, King Oldor himself had established a position along with his bodyguard. Russatin Kagmaul, the lord of Karag Wyr, was at the head of the throng bringing destruction to the enemy with his Warhammer while his golden gromiril armour protected its owner from death blows. Another horn sounded and the miners emerged from their tunnels and assaulted the siege machines of the Chaos Dwrafs. The Rangers entered the fray as the Budriksson Clan crashed into the flanks of the enemy. With throwing axes and great weapons, they broke the bodies of many Greenskins as well as their will to fight.

Enraged as the battle turned against him, Fharrahk Coalbeard beseeched his dark god for aid. The ground began to tremble, not for the land itself hurting, but some foul magic was at work. Lava geysers gushed into pillars that took shape into elemental creatures. These horrific rock figures, held together by the lava and fire itself, tore into the ranks of the Dwarfs, the heat of their weapons scorching light infantry and imposing hesitation to the heavily armoured warriors. One such creature speared three charging dwarf warriors on its blade. The impaled victims burned alive before they were tossed back into their friends. As batteshock was about to become an issue, the 8th Ironbreaker Legion swarmed forward. Their heavy rune treated armour could handle the heat of these fire elementals and provided defend against their fiery strikes. Sven Stoutbeard impressed his peers by taking down one of the elemental beasts’ singlehandedly with two tactical strikes to its lower torso. These actions strengthened the resolve of their comrades as they rejoined the fray to finish off these monsters. Such as a fire does, these flamed minions burned with fury but their rage was snuffed out by the earthly Dwarfs of Order.

Beset on all sides, Fharrahk Coalbeard ordered a retreat back to their stronghold back at the realmgate. This was done in orderly fashion as the dark ranks retreated to their fallback positions while their few remaining support troops bogged down the Dwarfs. The slaves they could afford to lose were left to be butchered while the rest were used to move their siege machines to safety. Their artillery fired one more volley to bring down two overly eager gyrocopters who tried to attack the retreating column. Many machines would return safely, but many more were lost in the campaign. Fharrahk himself joined his reserves in the melee to halt the Dwarfs advance. This proved quite effective as Fharrahk and his Ironsworn blocked the pass towards the ruins where his forces were departing. His obsidian forged great weapon feasted greatly slaying many warriors at a time. Suddenly Fharrahk was beset by a greybeard warrior with a mighty Warhammer. It was Russatin Kragmaul. The two Dwarfs clashed as blow after blow was dodged or glanced off armour. Kragmaul’s Warhammer slammed into Coalbeards shield again and again until the slab of metal cracked with one mighty swing. Coalbeard stepped back with his left arm clenched tight to his body, obviously wounded from the blow. Kragmaul went for a killing blow, but he was overconfident in his approach. The Chaos Dwarf took advantage his adversary’s mistake by sidestepping the downward swing, parrying the follow-up attack to the side, and then he used all of his might to swing upward into the Lord of Karag Wyr. The blade sliced across his chest, chewing through flesh, armour, and beard, amputating most of his right arm. A moment later, his right leg would be sliced off. Russatin Kragmaul fell back writhing in pain bleeding profusely. His warriors quickly jumped forward to form a circle around their lord, while five or six charged to avenge their wounded lord. Fharrahk made quick work of them as he rejoined his bodyguard.

Over 40% of his remaining troops had perished, but the rest were on their way back to the realm gate where they would regroup in friendly territory. Satisfied, Fharrahk and his remaining forces started to fall back. However, before he could reach his line, the Ironswon Guard were assaulted from the flank by a new band of Dwarfs. These were not the typical male Dwarf warriors but a regiment of female Dwarfs. The Axe Maidens had fought their way to the frontlines and were ready to seek their vengeance. The Ironsworn tried to quickly reform their ranks, but the suddenness of the attack and their own exhaustion was too much. Clad in different assortments of armour and wielding a wide range of weapons, the Axe Maidens used their skill and rage in combination to batter the dwindling Ironsworn into the earth. Fharrahk swatted a leaping warrior with his arm then disarmed and gutted another woman. He reeled back as he took a shield to the side of the head. A fully armoured warrior had engaged him and was following up with another strike with her axe. In pain but not immobile, Fharrahk pulled out a second weapon with his left hand just in time to parry the attack. Both poked at each other for a few moments before Fharrahk launched himself at her. The female warrior blocked his first strike with her shield. She was lucky as the second one bounced off her shoulder guard. She hesitated for a moment, but recovered to dodge another attack. Fharrahk stepped back, countered another charging Axe Maiden, and then turned in time to side step an axe swipe from his determined adversary. He grabbed her arm on her lazy second attack. He twisted her arm outward, drawing a cry of pain and dropping her to one knee. He thought he had her as he drove his right hand weapon down for the finishing blow, but the female warrior blocked it. Wisely, he kicked the unbalanced female to the ground as she landed on her back. Sensing victory, Fharrahk quickly drove his weapon at her. It was his last action as a mortal. She forcefully swatted his weapon out of his grasp with her shield, then, in an enraged shout, she swung her weapon with haste and slammed the blade of her axe into Fharrahk’s neck. Time stood still for a moment before the Chaos Dwarf Lord gasped heavily and crumpled to the ground. She swung her axe three more times into his body, effectively ending the life of Fharrahk Coalbeard.

What Ironsworn that survived fled back to their allies to tell of their fallen general. The female warrior wanted to pursue but she was held back by her fellow Dwarfs. She broke free and stepped forward, taking a deep breath before spitting a wad of saliva and blood to the ground. The warrior took off her helm and breathed heavily. Vanyra Vengryn felt a wave of pride overwhelm her, but she was quick to dispel it as she let her mind wander, remembering all the strife she had endured in the last 12 months. Her name would be sung in the drinking halls that night for her deeds, but she did not care. Vanyra starred across the ridge to the ruins of her old home Undback Hirf. She closed her eyes and allowed memories of her father return to her, those of him and her family when all was right with the world. That quickly faded when she opened her eyes and noticed a shadow in the ruins of her old home staring back at her. She could not make out the figure but she knew who it was, a demon of her past life who had once been the light of her life. Other shadows emerged briefly before the group disappeared into the mountain pass. Vanyra knew her oath was not fulfilled. Her brother still lived and the Chaos Dwarfs would return when they recuperated. But for now, victory belonged to the Ankor Volghar.

The throng chased the Chaos Dwarfs into the eastern mountains where they were driven back into the Realm of Fire. Too weakened to put up a stout defense against the unrelenting siege from the vengeful throng at their gate, the Chaos Dwarfs simply retreated back to Aqshy. The Zharr-Dawi’s final bastion which guarded the realmgate was overturned like a stepping stone. Victory had finally come, but at a terrible price. Thousands of Dwarfs had perished, including Russatin Kagmaul who had succumbed to his wounds. Much of the surviving realm was in ruins. The eastern mountains were now barren save for a few Greenskins and Ogors. Even worse, the Chaos Dwarfs had enslaved many of their kin and brought back to Aqshy. As eager as the Dwarfs were to rush to their aid, King Oldor begrudgedly restrained his kinsdwarf. Ankor Volghar had to heal. The throng had to regain its strength and they were not in a position to enact a rescue mission. A massive reconstruction project began across the realm as villages and mines were either rebuilt or reclaimed. Durak Drobbak was reclaimed and refortified. Undback Hirf was left a ruin but a memorial built nearby to signify the great victory by the Dwarfs of the Ankor Volghar. The Chaos Dwarfs fortress surrounding the realmgate to Aqshy was purged and rebuilt, becoming Kazad Harghal. A sizeable force was left behind to guard the gate and to assist the recapturing of the east. These grim months of rebuilding and remembering the deceased were tough, yet from the ashes, a sense of pride that had not been felt in ages grew inside each dawi. In the years to follow, Dwarfs of all ages would venture out into the mortal realms to search for their kin, discover new lands and retake lost lands and treasures from the grasp of Chaos. As Sigmar’s storm clouds rumbled above, a new age had begun for the Ankor Volghar.