Founding of the United Dwarven Kingdom of Eastforge

Founding

The dwarves establish their kingdom.

The end of the Great War was a turbulent time for the Dwarves of Lerias. Not only were they face with the fact that their actions in support of the Dragon Lord’s war were unjust, but with the fall of both Asteria and Medina two-thirds of the Dwarves of Lerias found their homes ripped from them for the first time since the closing of Karak al Kazark.
    In this time of uncertainty, Thane Gorrum Stonemaul of Eastforge called for a meeting of the Thanes of all surviving clans. This meeting, which took place in the grand cavern at the center of the city of Eastforge, called for the dwarves of Lerias to end the sundering of their race and like their father’s before them join together in one great kingdom of the bearded folk.
    While this appeal to tradition and call to return to past glories stirred the hearts of the dwarves none of the assembled Thanes wished to surrender their sovereign rights to a single monarchy as the humans do. As such, it was suggested that the kingdom would be ruled by a council of Thanes, each of whom would have control over their individual clans. Then this council would choose one of their number to be named as the High King, a term which in dwarven more properly translates as “First among Equals”.
    The mountains of Eastforge was chosen as the location of this new kingdom, due mostly to that fact that its infrastructure had not been as badly damaged as had that of Stonesong or Hillsbrad. Gorrum Stonesong was chosen as the first High King, and the migration of the dwarves of the south began.
    To officially found the new kingdom, the thanes of the various clans carved their seals into the great pillar in the center of Eastforge which has now become known as the Pillar of the Clans.