Timeline
(Just a Heads up, the Entire idea behind the early turns of this quest are going to be aimed at securing your Hold and that of the defensive line Kor-Khazad, Your Hold is not the last two holds something I realise now that I look back at the description, The whole aim of the early quest is for you to re-establish contact with fellow holds, while also expanding and restoring lost sections of the Kor-Khazad, eventually you will reach a point that your combined strength is enough to move freely. Sorry about not mentioning it. (Did not think about it really, I think there is a point in the first post that alludes to there been more holds but not much more on the subject)
Essentially when I planned this out the Expedition start would have come around and found many of the Golden age Era holds barely alive, The Expedition Dawi increasing their numbers greatly to a time which you could meet them, their Rune knowledge while not as damaged would be extremely degraded and many of the rune artifacts damaged.
Whereas your current start has you further back in the Timeline before things went to hell, the damage at the point where it could go either way. So sorry that I did not make this clear, it did not come across my mind at the time. (Only realised as I started Expanding on all the points that had been made.)
Timeline starting roughly 300 years before The time of the Ancestor gods ends
(Dwarf Year: 28) Bryn-Karaz is Established within the mountains of mourn alongside Khazid-Kruk and Khazid Drake-Karaz)
(Dwarf Year: 28-37) Influx of adventures Dawi arrive in mourn settling within the first holds established.
(Dwarf Year: 104-113) Multiple Holds are established within the mountains of Mourn from the slowly growing holds and the last caravans of dawi from the west, the Combined number of dwarfs slowly rising close to twenty thousand separated amongst Eleven combined Holds.
(Dwarf Year: 123) Karak Varn-Vithang becomes one of the most essential holds amongst It's fellow holds, it's underwater lakes making the expansion of the Wutrooth navy large enough for it to become a large trading hum amongst all of the holds.
(Dwarf Year: 113-368) The Holds within Mourn slowly grow, their various hold connecting to one another through the beginnings of the Mourn Underway, while other's set out to establish smaller mining outposts. The Dwarf population slowly rising to just under thirty-two thousand.
(Dwarf Year: 371) The Holds meet up with dwarfs from Zorn Uzkul, a great celebration is held with your Northern kin, despite their coldness and slightly shifty way many within the Mourn look forward to re-establishing contact with the Greater Karaz-Ankor. Though little more contact is made with them, Khazid Grungnaz is established by the joint holds so that an underway may be connected with their kin. A Small portion of Clan Hornbreaker remains with Zorn Uzkul Dawi.
(Dwarf Year 398) A force of dawi is sent across the wastes to alert the Karaz-Ankor of their holds, the group never return, many assuming they fell with the massive invasion of daemons that had assaulted their holds.
(Dwarf Year 402) An army of Daemons floods from the north besieging the northern most holds fortifications, work on the Uzkul underway is halted as the dawi of Mourn rally to the defences. Khazid Grungnaz manages to hold long enough for dawi from the nearby besieged Karak's of Kol-Mingol and Unba-Karaz, the Three holds surviving long enough for the forces of Karak-Zon-Duraz to relive them. While Karak-Angaz arrived to late for the initial assault, they end up Providing many materials and war-machines for their fellow holds to use and expand their defences.
(Dwarf Year 467) After tireless effort the Northern Holds are secured and turned into insurmountable fortresses. Many of the holds dealing with multiple incursion, though few make it past Grungnaz's fortifications, the hold having grown immensely in both size and runes to keep them safe.
(Dwarf Year 513) A Throng is mustered numbering two thousand dawi, they are sent to meet up with their kin of Zorn Uzkul, they return with only a quarter there number the northern wastes filled to the brim with daemons, the worse is feared for your kin. No Further Throng is mustered to aid your Northern kin. The Surviving Holds numbering a mere forty Thousand dawi, A Great Funeral is held for the fall of Zorn Uzkul.
(Dwarf Year 582) The Southern Holds, Karak-Gazan-Ungor, Karak-Irkul-Karin and Karak-Zint Finish Building extensive external defences cutting off any entrance from the southern mountain passes, though few could be placed within the valleys surrounding Karak-Morna-Karaz, it's steep mountains causing many issues for the dawi there, it's defences at least passable but were not to the standards of its fellow holds.
Age of Fortification Begins for the Kazad-Ankor Dwarf Year 817-3332
(Dwarf Year 817) With no word from the Karaz-Ankor and little known of the outside world other than Daemons roaming the land, the holds of Mourn form what is assumed to be the last of the dwarven race, renaming their kingdom the Kazad-Ankor (Fortress Realm) Their numbers having swelled over the years to nearly seventy thousand. The holds within slowly starting to approach the grandeur of the lost holds, if only on a smaller scale. A new High-King is chosen after much debate with a new Mandate to secure their homes. Few dawi venture far from their holds in fear of the dangers roaming the lands outside. High-King Thorgol the Wise passes the edict that all Runesmiths are to craft an army of Gronti-Duraz to bolster their Throngs.
The Scism of Burudin: The Oldest and staunchest of Runelords and Runesmiths Refused to bow to the edict, Many declaring it an afront to their guild and took those that would follow them to form a new Hold, Khazid Grim-Rhun is established. It's dawi becoming relatively isolationist within the Northern Kazad-Ankor.
(Dwarf Year 1073) Contact with the sky-Titans is made the massive behemoths a gentle and solitary lot, few ever meeting rather preferring Isolation and despite their size friendly relations are made. With Karak-Grimaz-Gazab, Though little trade occurs other than for a few of the finer things from Dawi Craftman while food and herd animals are traded aplenty. The Dwarfs of the Kazad Ankor begin to explore despite the threat of Daemons.
(Dwarf Year 1121) Limited Trade with Karak Grim-Rhun is restored with the Kazad-Ankor, though many of the descendants still hold a grudge with many of the Ancient holds. Though few wish to travel between the holds their isolationist nature proving a point of contention between the clans.
(Dwarf Year 1300) The Kazad Ankor despite the constant incursions of daemons has grown in size it's armies swelling in size allowing for new holds to be established throughout the mountains slowly moving both further south and east. Their numbers nearly reaching around one hundred and sixty thousand dawi. Talk of an expedition to head west starts to rise, a need to discover what happened to their kin the main reason, only for the high-king to halt the decision, his reason been that if the Karaz-Ankor had survived they would have had the numbers to restore communication. The Expedition is never launched as many dawi are needed to keep the fledgling realm alive.
(Dwarf Year 1663) Khazad-Ankor Rangers discover evidence of another Dwarf Hold, a Throng is raised and sent to meet with more of their kin. The hold is found deserted, signs of battle within and only the corpses of your kin littering the halls, the little information that could be salvaged pointing to the hold been only a century old, many of the clans having abandoned the Hold due to it's distance from the Karaz-Ankor and the surrounding daemons encroaching on their halls, the hold of Karak-Krakaten is repopulated by fellow Kazad-Ankor Clans.
(Dwarf Year 1704) After much debate and trouble a great project is undertaken so that the Dawi of the Khazad-Ankor could be reunited with their distant kin. The Great Underway is begun, the resources and dawi required immense but many within the kingdom rejoice at the knowledge that many of their kin still live. The Kazad-Ankor reaching a population of nearly three hundred thousand.
(Dwarf Year 1778) A Massive Quake shakes the mourn mountains as an explosion of dust is kicked up in the east, it is dismissed as nothing to worry about though few speak of sending the Rangers to investigate.
(Dwarf Year 1779) After many Decades of hard work and set-backs the Underway's surface observers at long last sight the Worlds edge mountain. A celebration is held as many hope for a reunion, plans are made for the last leg of the construction, the long underway having required an extensive logistics convoy to be built.
(Dwarf Year 1781) Word Reaches the Khazad-Ankor of great battles fought in the south, the Sky-Titans slowly been extinquished by a new threat, A small Throng of fifteen Thousand dawi are sent alongside, Two hundread Major-Gronti-Duraz and one thousand Minor-Gronti-Duraz to their aid.
Karak Drong and Karak
(Dwarf Year 1781) War of Behemoths begins- Ogre's flood in from the south and east their tribes overwhelming distant lands of the sky-titans. Dawi Bolt-Throwers and Grudge-Throwers proving a massive boon as they bloody the ogre's. While the Gronti of the Small Throng turn manage to stall the tide of ogres.
(Dwarf Year 1803) Battle of the Thundering Ridge- Thanks to the best efforts of the Kazad-Ankor and their allies they had managed to stave off the worst of the ogri assaults, the Throng working with the solitary Titans as best they could, Their efforts allowing for them to seal many passages, though it would all be for naught as late in the year of 1803, a massive ogre force marched through the Mist Gorge, the ogres having said to number in the tens of thousands. The battle that followed was said to have lasted for nearly a month, the dawi standing firm until the last of their Gronti were all but smashed, it would signify a major turning point in the war.
Three Minor holds are evacuated after the defeat of their forces behind the much more extensive Karak-Drong Defences, they go on to found the new hold of Kazid-Gronti closer to the Northern border. Many of the clans wary of the ogre's after witnessing their depravity.
(Dwarf Year 1813) Barely a decade after the defeat of the Thundering ridge saw many of the Sky-Titans central and southern lands falling into ogre hands, the titans dwelling within the peaks meeting a grizzly end, The Siege of Karak Drong begins but the holds defences halt the endless onslaught, It is with said with heavy heart did High-King Gimli, halt the construction of the great underway so that the Kazad-Ankor could deal with the Ogri Threat.
(Dwarf Year 2173) War of Behemoths Ends- The once Behemoth allies the Sky-Titans numbers are severely reduced many of their eldest eaten ore dead, those few willing to fight extinquished as the last lands of the Sky-Titans fall to the Ogre's and their tribes as they are held at the gates of Karak Drong, the last surviving Sky-Tians are relocated to the safety of the peaks of the largest of holds. Though the Ogre's do not cease there assault, their push stalls out as their tribes begin to consolidate their new lands.
(Dwarf Year 2297) After almost a century of relative peace, the ogre's rarely testing the Khazad-Ankors defences, an Assault by Tyrant Groth Warjaw begins, his Tribe and those with him turned back by the defences of Karak Drong. The Kazad-Ankors dawi begin to prepare and as over seven hundred thousand dawi of the Kazad-Ankor prepare their defences, the ogre tribes assaultsare all but blunted against an organised defence.
(Dwarf Year 2329) First Cannon is Introduced by engineers of Karak-Zint and tested against an Ogre incursion, its success both at lasting close to three weeks of constant use and devastating power proves it's use and it is not long before the secrets of building one is spread. Though few dawi engineers are willing to leave the tried and trusted methods used for thousands of years.
(Dwarf Year 2398) Waaagh Gibzub surfaces through the tunnels of Karak-Irkul-Karin, it fails to breach the hold, the grobi spilling out into the surrounding mountains. High-King Dargon rallies the Throngs of the nearby holds and crushes it before it gathers momentum and draws more of the mountains grobi to their waaagh.
(Dwarf Year 2783) The Ogre Tribes infest the Entirety of the eastern and southern Borders of the Kazad-Ankor, while more of their tribes have slowly begun to surround the Northern Borders. Karak Drong's defences start to wane after centuries of constant assault and support from other holds is slowly withdrawn to deal with ogres approaching their holds lands. Though the natural eastern choke point and the multitude of dwarven defences manages to halt any advance deeper into the lands of the Kazad-Ankor.
Despite the constant threats of Daemons and ogres, the Khazad-Ankor continues to grow many of the dawi within the mountains splling out onto the surface after so long, the Extensive defences keeping many of the threats they would have to contend with far away, the Dawi building cities into the sides of mountains as they went about their lives. The Khazad-Ankor reaching just over a million and a half dawi. The few outer Karak's defences tested by the ogri constantly and many resources are spread thin throughout the Khazad-Ankor to maintain both its growth and defence.
(Dwarf Year 2981) Karak Dwe-Stromez is breached, the Ogre's overwhelming it's defenders and Gronti-Duraz, though most of the clan's population survive while many of their holds gronti hold the line, Warriors of the hold collapsing the tunnels to give nearby holds time to prepare.
(Dwarf Year 3001-3018) Karak's Gazan-Varn and Vlag fall in short order as the southern holds are besieged by massive numbers of Ogre's, a massive Throng is called by High-King Bolgur. They ogre's throwing many of their kind at the defenses of Karak Wyr-Duraz
(Dwarf Year 3017-3019) War of Reclamation Begins and ends- High-King Bolgur leads the Kazad Ankor onto multiple victories, the Sky-Titans of old joining the ranks of the dawi geared in thick Dawi steel plate and wielding master craft Rune weapons. The Ogre's infesting the fallen holds are wiped clean while breaches are secured, Karak Drong's outer defences are even reclaimed and restored.
Karak Varf-Karag and Karak Grung-Grong suffer the worst of the damage their western defences having been severely damaged and destroyed and while the holds remained intact it would take centuries for the furthest defences to reach their former strength.
(Dwarf Year 3297) Waaagh Grulnik Drabgobbla- The Grobi Grulnik manages to rally a sizable force that manages to cut off Karak Drong for two years before they are beaten back, the Grobi Grulnik managing to slink away into darkness. Though his Waagh severely compromises some of the outer holds defenses.
Karak-Vengryn and Karak-Har Varn losing many of their Gronti-Duraz to keep the holds safe from both the grobi waaagh and a Ogre incursion.
The Age of Collapse Dwarf year 3333-4321
(Dwarf Year 3333) Despite the Efforts of High-King Bolgur the Mighty, he is unable to push the ogres away from the outermost holds, his hopes of finishing the Great Underway never begin as he is forced to distribute more and more resources to the fortifying of the Kazad-Ankor. He dies upon his deathbed and buried in his hold of Karak Drake-Karaz, he is said to have been filled with regrets, though he is lauded as one of the Greatest High-Kings to have led the Khazad-Ankor his reign seen both extreme growth and the reclamation of both lost holds and the establishment of new ones.
(Dwarf Year 3338-3358) High-King Kadrin the Fool was renowned as a great warrior but he made for a poor High-King as his decisions and actions saw to the first Clan blood-feud in the Khazad-Ankors history, his actions and decisions causing both division amongst the Kazad-Ankor, he would lead one of the shortest reigns in recorded history, his entire clan within Bryn-Karaz been eradicated for his actions, they would have further reaching consequences as many Kings and Thanes of the Kazad-Ankor would not elect another High-King for many decades.
(Dwarf Year 3361) The War of Zharr Begins- After nearly three thousand years, the first Dawi not from the Khazad-Ankor are seen, a massive Throng covering the horizon marches on Karak Grungnaz, the most Northern of holds of the Khazad Ankor and once great fortress renowned for holding back both legions of Daemons and tribes of ogres is partially breached many of the outer defences compromised and falls under siege from Dawi of Uzkul-Dhrazh-Zharr/Dawi Zharr, among their ranks are members of the clans left behind at Zorn Uzkul
(Dwarf Year 3362) The Second Waagh of Grulnik Drabgobbla- The Grobi Grulnik returns with a force far larger and more powerful waaagh than before, his forces splitting the already besieged Khazad-Ankor in twain, as ogre Tribes break through various surface defences between the holds shattering the safety of the Khazad-Ankor's inner holds and cities.
(Dwarf Year 3361-3391) Massive Throngs are mustered from all over the Khazad-Ankor, though the lack of a new High-King and grudges causes issues with command, while defences are manned and used to halt the Initial Ogre incursion, while the Grobi Grulnik manages to besiege Karak Drong but are unable to cut it off, while the nearby aid of Karak Irkul-Karin and Karak Ghal-Karaz.
(Dwarf Year 3393) After Countless battles are fought the Dawi of the Kazad-Ankor manage to secure their southern holds surface lands and kill Grulnik, though further west the Karak Morna-Karaz is besieged and it's western defences bypassed as the Northern holds are attacked in the south.
(Dwarf Year 3427) High-King Björn Ironfist is chosen to lead the Kazad-Ankor,Though it is only by the will of the kings of many of the Soutern holds it is respected as he rallies the Kazad-Ankor and manages to push back against the ogre's and Grobi, but he fails to gain enough ground to secure much of the lost lands, his efforts slowly turning to fortifying the southern holds and sending support too the besieged northern holds through the underway.
(Dwarf Year 3782) Despite the best efforts of High-King Björn is never able to launch another offensive and dies at the Battle of Bryn-Karaz, his remains are buried in Karak-Zint.
(Dwarf Year 3927) Karak Morna-Karaz falls to a massive force of Black orks and Grobi, the ogre tribes having weakened the defences for the dawi to hold, the Gronti and warriors within manage to evacuate only half the hold before it falls.
(Dwarf Year 4023) Karak Varn-Vithang is forced to seal its Northern tunnels and collapse entire bridges as the ogres breach its northern defences, their hold's clan staying to fight while those left in the North flee to the besieged North through the underway collapsing tunnels as they retreat.
(Dwarf Year 4179) Karak Zon-Duraz is besieged from Ogres in the north and east while to their south Karak Bryn-Duraz is besieged, grobi and urk leaking into their southern tunnels. The Northern holds attempt manage to spare a meagre ten thousand dawi and send aid to the south, their defences hard-pressed to keep their hold connected over both the surface and underways as their connection to the greater Kazad-Ankor is slowly severed.
(Dwarf Year 4321) Karak Bryn-Duraz falls to the ogres and with it the last connection with the southern holds. The 9 Northern holds prepared themselves as best they could, a new portion of mountains defences are built to ensure the safety and connection of the remaining holds, it aims not for stopping the enemy but to starve them out, Massive Bastions are built at points within the mountain to ensure that any army that makes it through will either have to face massive runic fortress or go through passes which have been made dangerous so to bleed them, the land between the Bastions and holds salted and made unusable for growing food or animals to ensure that nothing survives, the only life found either within massive fortifications and walled off valleys of dwarven holds or within the mountains growing halls.
The Age of Desolation (4322-Present)
Karak Zon-Duraz becomes the new hub of engineering, despite it rather small guild of engineers, many of the Northern holds having far more runesmiths than engineers they manage to stabilise their defences and the Underway allowing the holds to their west and north to survive. While both Karak-Angaz and Karag Grim-Rhun to their North east manage to secure their holds enough to send aid to the south.
Karak Grungnaz manages to repel the Dawi-Zharr after long centuries of fighting and manage to restore their key northern defences. With the Aid of karak Kol-Mingol, the two holds heavily relying on Karak Unba-Karaz to hold their western and southern territories.
The Karag's Gronti and Lhune that lie west of Karak Zon-Duraz with the aid of Karak Vengryn manage to hold out long enough to establish their required defences. Though the treacherous mountain paths aid in their safety, the long journeys both an issue for those wishing to harm the holds, but also for the underway as it becomes nearly the only secure route to travel.
Each of the Northern holds dawi becoming experts of battle as they suffer a near-constant assault from both below and above ground the ogre's always looking to feast on their holds populace, while the grobi constantly test their subterranean defences striking from abandoned mines or digging into the halls of the Ancestors. The order of Valkyrinn swelling to hold nearly entire holds Kvinn to its ranks as they are forced to man the holds defences, every dawi having to do their duty. All Dawi are taught to fight as the Northern holds engineering progress grinds to a halt as they are forced to pour resources where they are needed and the power of Runes proving themselves time and time again.
A few Centuries after been cut off from the southern Kazad-Ankor, the defences of the now Named Kor-Khazad are breached, Karak Zon-Duraz's hold suffering a massive invasion from the south and is encircled by the Suneater Tribe, it falls in short order complete cutting off the Northern holds from one another.
Karak Vengryn falls a few decades later, its clans splitting both north and south to their fellow holds, Karak Gronti swells in massive size as it is only connected to Karak Lhune, the fellow hold also swelling with the survivors from Vengryn. A Century later the underway connecting the two holds is completely cut-off as a Grobi war manages to break into the underway forcing Karak Gronti to seal the mines. Their only saving grace was that Kor-Khazad was designed to protect each hold individually and The last of the Northern Sky-Titans were within their lands.
Clan Hornbreaker amongst other clans set out to establish a new hold at the far northwestern edges of Karak Gronti's defences in the hopes of securing another hold should the same fate befall the other holds that were lost.
Karaks and Karag's In the North (Population of Dawi at the Start in the Age of Desolation sat at around 840 000 Dawi) (You do not know what has happened with the other holds so assume they are still going)
Main Karak's
Karak Kol-Mingol
Karak Unba-Karaz
Karak-Zon-Duraz (Fallen)
Karak-Angaz
Secondary Karak's
Karak Grungnaz
Karak Vengryn (Fallen)
Minor karag's
Karag Grim-Rhun
Karag Gronti
Karag Lhune
***
The population by the Time you were cut off (This includes the Northern Holds): Around Three Million Dwarfs so many of the dwarfs are stuck quite far away from you, how their doing is something you will have to find out, I have designed the Populations to be higher for one reason and that is because much later on in the quest once you restore the Kazad-Ankor and it is safe you will be marching in their direction, that means you need actually dwarf power to do just that as a lot of it will be focused on defence, so even once you reclaim everything you won't be able to muster the true power of your group. It will still be much larger than what the Karaz-Ankor can muster. (Plus I really want to see the dwarfs have a chance at reclaiming their holds, though to actually reach that point will be a struggle.)
I have not been able to find anything that really determined the size of the Karaz-Ankor in the Golden age, or even for most of the standard times with how varied it is, I have a rough idea but it essentially going to for me to decide. (Unless someone can point me in the direction of some accurate facts, though with how things are my hopes are not entirely high.)
Now then, since I am not sure what the population for them was, to begin with, I am just going to state what I think it was. (Karaz-Ankor during the Golden age is going to sit around 28 odd million, this is split amongst hold dwelling dwarfs and plains Dwarfs and includes Karak Zorn and a large number of unnamed Minor holds.)
Their population matched the combined size of England,France and Germany during medieval times, This is mostly because the Golden age was when they were growing the most and it seemed fitting. Especially with how bad things get for them leading to their decline. (Also plays into the fact that my quests tend to have the various clans grow quickly from all their children and plays into the theory they suffer more from attrition than a lack of sex drive.)
Major Karak's (The First Established within Mourn): (Their population's Reaching around 130 000-150 000 Dawi during the heigh of their Golden Age)
Karak Bryn-Karaz (Fallen)
Karak Kruk-Azril
Karak Drake-Karaz
Karak Kol-Mingol
Karak Unba-Karaz,
Karak Angaz
Karak Gazan-Ungor
Karak Morna-Karaz (Fallen)
Karak Irkul-Karin
Karak Varn-Vithang (Fallen)
Karak Zint
Secondary Karak's: (Karak's that are of a decent size but do not rival the Major Karaks their populations reaching roughly 80 000-110 000 Dawi) 12 Holds
Karak Grungnaz
Karak Drong
Karak-Krakaten
Karak Wyr-Duraz
Karak Dwe-Stromez
Karak Zan-Karaz
Karak Varf-Karag
Karak Okrinaduraz
Karak Ghal-Karaz
Karak Grung-Grong
Karak Vengryn (Fallen)
Karak Har-Varn
Minor karag's: (These are newer settlements that have been built according to tradition of the Kazad-Ankor, the majority of their minor defences established though they hold fewer dawi than expected. 10 000-40 000Dawi (The Kazad-Ankor has few settlements smaller, the dangers of the mountains of Mourn making it a requirement to have a large force, something that your hold could not do as it was cut-off and dwindling for some time)
Karag Grim-Rhun
Karag Gronti
Karag Gazan-Varn
Karag Vlag
Karag Zhuf
Karag Lhune
Karag Engel
