The Fall of Kan Faldir and the Slaying of Nazzug Dwarf's Bane

A tale explaining the rivalry and respect between dwarves and dragons

Summary

The world is old, and so too are the dwarves, however even older things still yet live. Dragons have lived for untold centuries, perhaps even millenniums in the past, and despite how different the two races are, they are similar in many ways. They both prefer to make homes in caves and mountains, and both are drawn by their desires for gold and shiny jewels and treasures. Given these similarities, it was only a matter of time until the first conflicts began to arise between the two. This tale, however, marks perhaps the first recorded encounter of dragons according to the dwarves, for before this day dragons were seen as rumor and myths.
It is said long ago, before the tribes of man would migrate west into wider Nilush, long before the elves met the dwarves, the dwarves had begun carving out their empire. Though the Ancestor Gods were gone by this point, the dwarven people remained hopeful and continued on to carve out an empire of beauty and safety. However, grim tidings were about to come to pass. A forgotten prophecy foretold the coming of a shadow of death and fire would befall the hold of Kan Faldir, the second dwarven hold to be made. What was forgotten had regrettably come to pass, as one day suddenly, a great and terrible beast of wings, horns, and death descended upon Kan Faldir. It burned all in its way, and few would be able to escape as it slew the king of the hold and devoured its victims. It destroyed much of the hold before the dwarves were able to escape, as the dragon bellowed guttural laughs as it stood over its new horde. Kan Faldir had been unlucky enough to catch the dragons' attention due to the massive amounts of gold and gemstones the hold had stockpiled, and so the dragon cleared out the bothersome natives and took it for himself. It had earned its name, the name of Nazzug Dwarf's Bane, for he was the first to strike and slaughter the dwarves he encountered.
The survivors of Kan Faldir made their way to the first birth hold of Karak Khalgalir and told the high king of the great doom that befell them. High King Bergrom Giantbrow, fearing the potential of either Nazzug or more dragons attacking other holds, he ordered for the greatest champions to set out and slay this monster. They numbered 12 in total:

• Darrig Starkshaper
• Hjalrik Glekuhk
• Mornir Glozzur
• Ketva Flintreach
• Baerlin Everstone
• Thalman Strukam
• Graldur Lengan
• Tasras Hadek
• Maldrum Hudirk
• Torgurn Graldeck
• Murdan Loudmane
• Gardrus Brawntale

All the champions were gifted the best armor and weapons the smiths could make in such short notice, bestowing upon them several runes each as they set out. The travel there itself was treacherous as always, but the 12 champions traveled as quick as they could. When arriving, they found the lair now housed minions of the dragon, and the dragon itself launched a cowardly ambush at the entrance that slew Graldur, Baerlin, and Hjarlk. The champions did however manage to beat Nazzug back, forcing him to retreat as they delved deep into the ruins of this destroyed hold. Fighting through legions of minions and magic spells laid by the dragon itself, the fighting lasted a total of 5 years, remarkably fast for dwarves. At the end, the dwarves fought the terrible dragon, having lost Thalman, Mornir, and Tasras along the way to Nazzug. The fighting was legendary, lasting a full day and a half as Maldrum would sacrifice himself to give Darrig the opening he needed. Channeling the fury of the ancestor gods into his axe, it burned so hot that it is said to have burned through the scales of the dragon that were supposed to be immune to fire, burning brighter than the sun above Tertara. Nazzug could not finish his string of curses before the axe came down, and cleft Nazzug's head clean from its neck.
With the slaying of Nazzug, what little minions remained of the dragon either melted away, or scattered out of the hold. Watching as its boiling blood calmed, the remaining dwarves cheered out cries of victory and relief that their comrades had been avenged. They brought the dragon's body to High King Bergrom Giantbrow. Darrig was renamed to Darrig Drakkinslayer, and with that the dwarves set about recolonizing the displaced dwarves of Kan Faldir. Though they were never able to fully retake the hold, it was instead turned into part mine and part holy site, with the refugees of Kan Faldir building a new hold next to the mine. So great was this event, that the dwarven mages and runesmiths used its blood and scales to develop runes and magics crafted solely to fight and kill dragons. To this day, the bones of the dragon were placed back atop the horde it once guarded, and a great statue of the 12 champions stands in the center of the innermost vault.  In fact, even after the fall of the holds, the goblins were seemingly never able to blow open the innermost vault, cursing the dwarves as to this day the vault remains sealed and untouched.

Cultural Reception

This legend had the main effect of solidifying the dwarven people as some of the most skilled dragon slayers in the world, perhaps only rivaled eventually by the knights of Vebastonne. This also served to fuel animosity between dwarves and dragons, as Nazzug was a powerful and respected dragon amongst what little still remained in the world. This, coupled with the dwarves making weapons and magic made purely to counter them, meant that dwarves and dragons would fight occasionally over the years. The fact dwarves also had a habit of collecting gold and treasure was more of a bonus really.
However it also eventually gave way to an almost sort of respect between the two. Both would fight each other when thretened, but both recognized the power and strength of the other. Rivals yes, but rivals to at least be congratulated for putting up such a hard fight. The respect dragons had for dwarven ways was so great that it is what led to them creating the kobolds in the first place, their attempt at making "dwarf like" minions. Dwarves also respect dragons for the sheer power and primal magic they possess, and recognize them as some of, if not the greatest beasts in the world. To slay one is not only an honor, but it binds a dwarfs soul to the name of that dragon, and the two souls become linked in a way. Regardless, though both sides did respect one another, make no mistake that they were still rivals, and so throughout history there have been plenty of tales of dragons and dwarves fighting each other.

Date of Setting

-200EC

Related Species

• Dwarves