The Tragedy of Vag Daruhl, and the Passing of the Ancestor Gods
The tale of how the dwarven ancestor gods would pass from this mortal world
Summary
The tale of the dwarves is both old, and varied in its steps. For every beautiful image etched in the stone tapestry, there are images of pain and despair, and some of bittersweet countenance. This tale is the final, as it encompasses the passing of the first dwarves to ever walk the mountains and the underground, the ancestor gods. Hark well to this tale, for it is one of sacrifice, and promise of better days to warm the hearth fire.
By this time, the dwarves had begun carving out their small but growing nation. They had already built more holds, and one of these holds proved to be a glowing jewel of this nation, Vag Daruhl. Vag Daruhl seemed destined for greatness, as early on in the mining they hit a rich veins of not just jewels, but the metal all dwarves covet so greatly: Adamantine. Such ore is the hardest and toughest metal known to this world, and veins are typically very hard to find. The dwarves are the only ones who know how to work this metal into anything useable, as any other smith that tries to work this metal typically ruins it. Such a find was a sign of good fortune, and Thordrindal would be informed of this find and rejoice. It is said a party was thrown for 3 days before they finally got back to planning. Thordrindal declared that the dwarves of Vag Daruhl shall dig deep as they can, for as long as they keep finding this Adamantine, they are heading in the right direction. This, coupled with the continuous findings of Adamantine flowing downwards, led to Var Daruhl going so deep that it hurt to truly comprehend how deep the mines went. This also made it incredibly rich, with it being widely considered the "gleaming jewel of the dwarven empire."
If only such jewels could last, for sometimes good intentions are eroded away by desires. The dwarves of Vag Daruhl dug deep, deeper than any mine has ever dug. Such is the greed they began to feel, something all too common in dwarves, that it caused them to dig regardless of warning. Priests and mages warned of nameless things skulking in the mines. Nameless, hateful things that cackled with whispers of doom and despair. The dwarves were blinded by their desire for the riches that resides beneath, and to make the ancestor gods proud. Thus they delved too deeply, and too greedily, and in the process awoke something terrible from its slumber.
There is debate on how exactly it happened, for in truth the event was so cataclysmic and quick that few had time to understand what was happening. Regardless, they dug too deep, and this resulted in the awakening of perhaps one of the most dangerous types of demon: a Balor. This balor would come to be known as Dazgur, and his roars so terrible that every dwarf alive felt a sudden feeling of despair in their hearts. Dazgur would begin his rampage through the mines, and truthfully it took some time before the dwarves could alert those above of what was happening, or even the other mine tunnels of the rumbling doom of shadow and fire wrecking havoc in Vag Daruhl. The balor Dazgur would begin summoning other demonic monsters and beasts to follow him, which, if the records are correct, means this is the next large demonic incursion after the elves vanquished them originally from the realm.
Seeing this great doom, the ancestor gods Ikogem, Mukem, and Ruloc rushed to meet the beast, with Thordrindal following shortly after for he did not want to abandon his brothers. Sudgi and Zelvi stayed behind to help get as many people to escape from the deeper parts of Vag Darhul as they could. The one bonus of digging so deep is that it physically took the balor a lot longer to march up near the upper areas of the mine, and when he did, he was met in battle by Ikogem, Mukem, Ruloc, and Thordrindal. While the rest were distracted with the hordes of demons as they fought with their warriors, Ikogem entered a rage never before felt and never again matched. He slaughtered his way through untold numbers of demons and devils, fighting his way to Dazgur as the two made battle. Even as the lords and ladies of hell chanted and gave their dark blessings to the balor, despite all odds, Ikogem was still keeping up and even blooding the great beast, ignoring the terrible wounds that wracked his body. However, the demons kept coming, as the ancestor gods realized that the fight would not end until the source was broken. Realizing this, Ikogem fought the balor to the edge of a great bridge, and as Thordrindal pleaded for his brother to stop, Ikogem told him to make sure they watch over their children, as Ikogem summoned a strength never again seen as he tackled Dazgur and tumbled down the near endless chasm fighting Dazgur along with a million demons being pushed down with him. They fell straight through the portal they came through, and eventually would close shut as Ikogem supposedly fought even more violently in hell against the invaders.
Thordrindal and his brothers and sisters were devastated, as well as the dwarven people. They searched nearly every part they could, but found no trace of Ikogem, yet they held to the hope that he lived still. The deeper parts of Vag Daruhl were sealed, considered lost to the crushing darkness of evil that lay in its many caves. With this, it is believed the ancestor gods received visions from Ikogem, as they got together and told their children that they would always watch over them, and that they would become one with the realm of gods and the earth and stone itself. Traveling into one of the deepest parts of the first birth hold Karak Khalgalir, they would combine their power to create a new ancestor god: Gazger, the Shepard of death and the afterlife. With this, their powers bade them to meld into the stone, turning into large statues in the room now called the Hall of the Gods. Their plan had worked, as to the dwarves surprise a great flame ignited as the statue of Ikogem burned into being. The ancestor gods had used their power to physically deny all the lords and ladies of hell the bounty of Ikogems soul and body, using their powers to bear his body out of the clutches of hell and back to meld into the stone with them. Though the dwarves were shocked and devastated at first, one dwarf stepped forth and shouted a cry that soon everyone repeated:
"Long Live the Ancestors!"
Cultural Reception
While it is a tragic tale, it is also seen as a tale of triumph and glory, for it is thanks to their ancestor gods that dwarves are spared the ruin of hell. So strong is it that it is said that for a dwarven soul to be pulled into hell is a rare thing indeed. It is said the demons still curse the dwarves for denying them their bounty of souls and tormented screams to draw from these mountain folk, and the dwarves shout that they are too stubborn to allow mere monsters' dominion of their soul. Indeed, it seems a dwarven soul is so stubborn that it can have a hard time even being moved from one realm to the other. It is thanks to this tale that the Ancestor Gods ascended into true godhood, and grant powers and blessings to their children they love oh so dearly. Though Vag Daruhl was not abandoned, it too fell with the rest of the dwarven empire's birth holds when the goblins invaded. However, unknown tot eh dwarves, the goblins are terrified of the deepest depths of the mines, saying that there is both a being of shadow and fire skulking the caves, and a bearded figure of fiery rage screaming curses and obscenities at all it finds. In fact, Vag Daruhl is said to be the focus of many dwarves who now fight to win back their ancestral homes, for the place of Ikogem's sacrifice shall not suffer the defilement of goblins and other hateful creatures.
Date of Setting
-400EC
Related Species
