The fall of Duridar

In the wake of the Great Collapse (the massive earthquake that ravaged the underground cave network that makes up the Hollows), the Dwarven empire of Duridar was left in shambles. After the Collapse, the High King began withdrawing surviving Dwarves from the frontiers of the empire to help rebuild the damaged sustained by the inner territories. This was a perfect opportunity for the Goblins to stage their revolt against their former masters.

The Conflict

Prelude

The Goblins had long been used by the old Dwarves as a slave race, being considered inferior beings by their masters. For years, they'd been planning to rebel against their Dwarven masters, but their strength and numbers had long discouraged such attempts. That all changed around the time of the Great Collapse, which devastated much of Duridar, and gave the Goblins the perfect opportunity to strike back.

Deployment

As soon as the Goblins realized how badly the Dwarves forces had been devastated by the Collapse, and how little mind the survivors payed them while rebuilding their homes, they almost immediately began rallying, arming themselves with mining equipment and whatever weapons and armour they could scavenge off of any dead Dwarves. Now sufficiently armed and armoured, the Goblins began their revolt in earnest, swarming over the unprepared and nearly defenceless forts and towns of the frontier before moving inwards to the major cities. By the time the Dwarves were able to mount a proper defence and counter attack, the Goblins had secured a large amount of ground.

Battlefield

Every inch of Duridar was a battlefield for the Dwarves and Goblins.

Outcome

The revolt ground to a halt around the capitol of Derthiad and the surrounding outposts, with the war ending in a truce shortly after.

Aftermath

The Dwarven empire had been almost completely destroyed, with only Derthiad remaining. Meanwhile, the Goblins had used the truce to fortify the lands they'd taken, and established their own kingdom.

Historical Significance

Legacy

The Goblin uprising and its aftermath has been a source of great animosity between the Dwarves and Goblins all the way into the current age.

Conflict Type

War

Battlefield Type

Land

Conflict Result

Goblin victory

Belligerents

Goblins

Dwarves

Strength

The Goblin forces were said to number in the hundreds of thousands

The Dwarven forces numbered around tens of thousands at the time of the revolt

Casualties

Thousands of Goblins died in the Revolt, but unlike the Dwarves, they had the reserves to make up for their losses.

Thousands of Dwarves died in the Revolt, and unlike the Goblins, they Collapse had ensured they wouldn't have enough reinforcements to make up the losses.

Objectives

To take revenge against the Dwarves for generations of enslavement

To put down the Goblin revolt and restore order.