The Ma'anrak Wars

The Ancient Wars of the Ma'anrak peoples: Dwarves and Gnomes of the Southern Asmark Region.
The Dwarven/Gnomish rivalry extends clear back to the creation of each race. The All-Hammer (God of Dwarves and Goliath) and the Arch Heart (God of Elves and Gnomes) each claim to have made their respective races first. This has sparked an ember of rivalry (though not necessarily hatred) between the races of Moradin and the races of Corellon.
The Ma'anrak were subterranean clans of Dwarves and families of Gnomes that inhabited the Southern area of the Asmark region, bordering the ancient Human-Kingdom of Fleeth. Most of the Ma'anrak cities, villages and constructions have been consumed by the ever encroaching Ashlands—though the Ma'anrak peoples extended clear up into the modern day Torelva Mountain Range. Because of this, most of the history of the Ma'anrak has been lost and destroyed, but what is known is this:
Extending back before even the formation of the Human-Kingdom of Fleeth, the Ma'anrak were rival clans and families of Dwarves and Gnomes. The Dwarves priding themselves in their unbeatable arms, armor and architecture; and the Gnomes priding themselves in their unbeatable minds, magics and machinations. Decades, perhaps Centuries, passed and this rivalry finally exploded into war. No details of this war are known except that it was finally ended with the Pact of Phandelver. The treaty allowed the Gnomes access to the Dwarves’ prized mine of Wave Echo Cave; and calling upon their allied Humans, the Gnomes built the Dwarves an artifact of immense power - The Spellforge. An anvil of such tremendous power, that any item crafted using it was made magical. With the collapse of the Ma'anrak civilizations from the unstoppable Ashlands, the precise location of Wave Echo Cave and the Spellforge have been lost: though it is held by local tradition that it is near the modern day village of Phandalin.

The Conflict

Outcome

The Ma'anrak peoples prospered more than they ever had after giving both sides access to the resources each had prided themselves in having over the other. Most notably, the creation of the Spellforge.

Aftermath

Thanks to the great prosperity and power the Pact brought the Ma'anrak, they were able to repel, for a time, the invading forces of the Ashlands: allowing many Ma'anrak Dwarves and Gnomes to escape to unknown places in the world. The most notable leader was the Master-Smith, Durgeddin the Black. Thanks to the likes of Durgeddin, we know that there are still Ma'anrak peoples out there somewhere, and it is the pursuit of many historians and archaeologists to find where it is they went!

Historical Significance

Legacy

The legacy of the Ma'anrak are two-fold:
1. They left the world with a prestigious message about the power of humility and unification. The world was left off better as a result of the Ma'anrak peoples coming together and working in harmony.
2. The knowledge of the Spellforge leaves a legacy of treasure hunting, an almost certainly fruitless effort. It is the settling down of failed treasure hunters that established the village of Phandalin in the Southern Asmark Region.

Conflict Type

War

Battlefield Type

Land

Start Date

≈ 300-450 YD

Ending Date

≈ 350-500 YD

Conflict Result

The Pact of Phandelver was made and the two sides began living in harmony.

Location

Mountains of Asmark