The Dwarven Schism

The Twin Kingdoms of Kalazanbaar ruled over the Spinelands for most of recorded history. In time, Kalazan colonies sprung up across the lands, mostly establishing dwarven settlements in mountain ranges. One of these kingdoms were established in the Vallahir Mountains to the North, and was named Korim after their founder, Kormir Aurumhelm.
In time, the smaller nation of Korim grew weary of Kalazan rule. They found the dual monarchy of the Two Kings to be a cumbersome, outdated system. They created a governmental system that was lead by a council made up of the heads of the great houses of their nation. This council was named The Crucible.
Their independence was not uncontested, and the Two Kings were more than reluctant to lose their largest and most prolific colony. However, on the apparent brink of civil war, Kalazanbaar retreated, and Korim was granted their independence. The reason for this sudden turnaround is still debated, but many believe this to be the time that Korim developed the Construct Army, a legion of mindless, soulless war machines that more than made up for the smaller kingdom's lack of man-power. Other's still attribute this conflict to the discovery of a mysterious ore, Raxium, in the heart of The Broken Spine.