The Crafts War

Revolution

Tensions within Eastforge errupt into war.

Since the death of King Eric of Fetesca, the situation within the mountain kingdom had deteriorated. The cost of the wergild paid to Fetesca erased much of the profit that the new trade agreements had managed to bring in. The lack of economic progress was a perfect target for the rhetoric of Harrok Thelgar and his supporters were growing in number.
    As the two sides of the argument become more entrenched crime continued to increase. Furthermore, there was an increase in various acts of sabotage towards the workshops of the more elite and successful clans. The Council of Thanes was unable to act decisively to end the turbulence.
    In Brillier of 43, during a council meeting Harrok Thelgar insulted High King Gorrum, resulting in the king striking the thane. This insult was the final spark for the pile of kindling that Eastforge had become, and the only answer for the dwarves was war.
    For nearly a year Eastforge was a battleground. The death toll was in the thousands including High King Gorrum Stonemaul who was slain in single combat by Harrok Thelgar. This was a heavy blow for the pro-Accord side of the conflict as the Council of Thanes was so split that no new High King could be named. Things looked truly dark for the dwarven kingdom.
    The remaining forces of the pro- Accord side rallied around Grimbol Stonemaul, eldest son of Gorrum and the new Thane of Clan Stonemaul. Thane Grimbol swore an oath of vengeance against his father’s killer and promised to bring order and stability to Eastforge again.
    Thane Grimbol lead his forces on a deep strike into the holdings of clan Thelgar and broke into the family holdings of Harrok himself. As the two dwarves battled, it was revealed that Harrok Thelgar was a Strife Lord serving Omadon, whose mission was to bring down the dwarven kingdom by playing to their racist and isolationist tendencies.
    Thane Grimbol realized that the future of his race depended on him and fought Harrok with all he had but the Strife Lord was a more skilled opponent and had the aid of a demonic imp that attempted to bring the thane low with foul poison. So Grimbol did the only thing he could think of, he hurled his runic hammer at the pillar that supported the cavern ceiling over clan Thelgar’s holdings. The resulting cave in cast clan Thelgar’s holdings deep into a chasm and seemingly caused the death of both Harrok and Grimbol.
    The dwarven kingdom was at peace again, but also with a profound sense of loss. The kingdom began repairing the damage from the battle, and a month into the clearing of stone Thane Grimbol was discovered under a partial section of ceiling. He had survived the cave in and although trapped lived off of cave rats and dripping water until he was rescued.
    Grimbol was returned to his clan’s holdings and revered as a hero. The Council of Thanes rallied around the new hero and chose Grimbol to take his father’s place as the new High King. As his first act, Grimbol revealed to the Council of Thanes the true nature of Harrok’s betrayal and the plans he had for the destruction of the dwarven people.
    High King Grimbol then declared the dwarves’ insular nature to be a danger to the future of the dwarven people and called on each dwarf to help grow the kingdom of Eastforge into a great power among the races of Lerias. The Council of Thanes saw the wisdom of this decision and immediately approved the construction of gate towns at the edge of the mountains to serve as trading outposts with the other races, and a system of under highways to connect them.