Dwarven Civil War

The Dwarven Civil War, also called the Toldrun Inquisition, is an ongoing war between at least two factions of dwarven society in the western part of the Ayndrinor continent. It began with a small group of dwarves worshiping a new deity that clashed with the traditional religion and has blossomed into a major centuries-long campaign between two neighboring nations that has divided the world and placed strain on diplomatic and trade relations everywhere.
In 1013 2A, a new religious sect began spreading in the dwarven city of Gel Eamoni (now the Holy City of Toldrun) and threatening to upset the tranquility in the city. This new sect claimed that they had received visions and inspirations of a massive deposit of platinum and gems deep underground, further below the surface than the city was currently digging. The king at the time, mindful of the ancient dwarven lessons of ambition and greed, refused to extend the city's digging deeper than it was already going. This angered the Toldrunites, who showed up en masse to discuss their religion and the kingdom's future with the king.
No one is quite sure exactly what happened at that meeting, as all reports of events have come from the See and are therefore unreliable. But somehow, the discussion turned heated, and one of the Toldrunites known as Moradin killed the king in the passion of the moment. In the resulting melee, the Toldrunites managed to defeat the king's guards and enact a coup of power in the city. Some speculate - fueled by rumors of courtiers that escaped the throneroom brawl - that the Toldrunites murdered the king and his guards in cold blood and spread the story of the heated discussion to cover their tracks. For a few days afterward, the new leaders issued decrees and statements in the former king's name, until they could consolidate the kingdom's power for themselves.
Just hours after this coup, the new leader of the city sent out such a decree to his oblivious new citizens: renounce the old faith of Morgran or be exiled from the new city founded under the faith of Toldrun. The majority of the city was rooted in tradition and the ancient worship of Morgran, so they packed up what they could and left the city quickly. A few of these refugees ventured north through the town of Gel Aenn (now Aenngrod) and further toward Oestbernia, while the vast majority of others took the road south through the plains to the friendly neighboring kingdom of Skerritt.
Before even two days had passed, the new king announced that all worship of Morgran was now forbidden and those found in violation would be killed as heretics. Scores of soldiers poured forth from the Holy City, hunting down the exiles that had spread out to other parts of the world. Luckily, in this couple days, many had made it across the southern rivers and to the safety of Skerritt, which took them in warmly and tried to assist in their relocation. As the soldiers of the See crossed the river to hunt "heretics" they were met by Skerrittese soldiers and turned back. This would mark the first armed conflict of the Civil War.
As time went on, the exiled dwarves settled into both new and existing towns in Skerritt and began to adapt to the cultures of the humans, elves, halflings, and other races that lived on the surface here. The Toldrun See officially began an Inquisition shortly after the coup and began to build up the few river villages into fortified camps capable of staging raids to look for dwarven dissenters and those who harbored them. Likewise, Skerritt constructed a series of fortifications along their side of the rivers to defend against the Inquisition's forces and protect what they quickly came to see as their own citizens. Over the centuries, many battles have been fought on this frontier, and forts have passed hands back and forth numerous times.
Now, a growing number of the dwarven diaspora in Skerritt - even some previous kings and kings' advisors - favor a campaign to take back their homeland from the Toldrunites, who they believe have corrupted dwarven culture and sullied the lands of their ancestors. On the other side, the Inquisition is as determined and fervent as ever. This new era of the war threatens to bring more bloodshed and intense religious conflict back to the lands of the See. But for now, the two nations are content to sit in their towers near the rivers and launch occasional raids on the other side, making plans in cities far from the frontlines.

Conflict Type

War

Start Date

1013 2A

Ending Date

Ongoing