“Under the Mountain dark and tall, The King has come unto his hall! His foe is dead, the Worm of Dread, And ever so his foes shall fall! The sword is sharp, the spear is long, The arrow swift, the Gate is strong. The heart is bold that looks on gold; The dwarves no more shall suffer wrong… Now call we over the mountains cold, Come back unto the caverns old! Here at the gates the king awaits, His hands are rich with gems and gold. The king has come unto his hall Under the Mountain dark and tall. The Worm of Dread is slain and dead, And ever so our foes shall fall!” - Dwarven song
Campaign Features
Dwarven Grudges
Avenge your Dwarven ancestors and reclaim their ancient halls for a variety of rewards
Every Dwarven lord has in his service a number of noble retainers who attend to him in times of peace and who accompany him to battle in times of war. These thanes constitute the elite of Dwarven society and the Dwarven army alike and take the name Durin's Guard to denote their seniority and superiority. Each dwarf is outfitted with the finest arms and armour available to the Dwarves: a hauberk of fine mail, a coat of lamellar plate, a battle axe, and a shield emblazoned with a noble device. In battle, these warriors are typically held back and only committed at the time of greatest need, when they are often instrumental in turning the tide of battle.
Erebor, the Kingdom under the Mountain, was founded by Thráin I of the folk of Durin after the loss of Khazad-dûm. Under his leadership and that of subsequent kings, the Dwarves of Erebor amassed wealth to rival that of the Dwarven mansions of ages past. With such wealth, however, came unwanted attention, and in time the kingdom was sacked and its treasures lost to Smaug, the last of the fire-drakes. It was not until many years later that Erebor was reclaimed and the Kingdom restored. Having so recently recovered their lost wealth, the Dwarves of Erebor are not likely to give it up lightly, and as such these elite warriors, each bearing a great battle-axe and encased in steel, keep vigilant watch over the Lonely Mountain. Those who covet their treasures know well their fearsome war cry -- Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu! Axes of the Dwarves! The Dwarves are upon you!
Dwarves are famous for the quality of their war machines, a fact they delight in. Few cities can stand against the creations of the dwarves and there are no greater creations than those made in the far off Orocarni by the Blacklock clan. Their war machines have been known to level gates and walls in a single well aimed shot. However, possibly their most prized invention is the superior crossbow. Many dwarves prefer crossbows to bows as they are simple, deadly and require little practice allowing more time for mining! The Blacklocks have taken the standard crossbow and improved it greatly but the weaknesses of the crossbow remain: its long reload time over a bow. This has lead the Blacklock Crossbowmen to adopt very heavy armour in order to ensure they can fight off any melee threats before releasing a deadly volley upon their foes once more.
Contrary to popular belief, the dwarves do not always shy away from war and the troubles of others. In truth, if their kin are threatened then the dwarves have been known to rally together in astounding numbers and crush their enemies. The last occurrence of which was the dwarven retaliation to the killing of King Thrór in T.A 2790, whereby the dwarves showed the world that they were a force to be reckoned with in the 'War of the Dwarves and Orcs'. The war called upon all of the seven families of the dwarves, and all answered the call. Now, as then, the dwarves of Erebor are threatened by the vastness of Rhûn and the plague like spread of the shadow of Mordor. They have called for aid from the four clans of the Orocarni and the call has been answered!
For many ages of Middle-earth, the folk of Durin have dwelled in the lands east of the Misty Mountains, where the halls of the Grey Mountains were their northernmost outposts. After the fall of Khazad-dûm and the establishment of the Kingdom under the Mountain, the Kings of Durin's Line ruled from a time from the Grey Mountains, where they tapped the riches that lay hidden beneath the mountains. In the wastes to the north however dwelled cold-drakes, lesser dragons who survived the War of Wrath and escaped the destruction of Beleriand. For a time, the valiant warriors of the Ered Mithrin held off their assault, but the death of Dáin their King led them to ultimately abandon their mines. Defeated, though not broken, these dour veterans keep watch over the lands of the north, their unmatched skill at arms honed and tempered through desperate combat against some of the most terrible servants of Morgoth who yet remain in Middle-earth.
Although originally designed as a tool for hunting game, the throwing axe has obvious utility on the battlefield as an instrument of war. A typical throwing axe is carefully weighted to maximize speed and rotation in flight, and is typically used to devastating effectiveness before a charge in order to break the enemy ranks.
Warfare is no stranger to the folk of Durin, who have often found need for taking up arms in order to protect or further their interests. Warriors such as these, armed with hand axes and equipped with wooden shields, make up the bulk of Dwarven armies and are often called to arms, whether to quest for greater riches abroad or to forcibly discourage the greedy advances of those who may lust after the wealth of the Dwarves.
Descending upon the field of battle wielding large warhammers, these Dwarves can turn the tide of a battle in mere moments after they've clashed with the enemy as no armour will resist these mighty Dwarven warhammers for long. Taken from the finest warriors from the Ered Luin and Erebor, their resolve in battle cannot be broken, as they fight to defend the reclaimed mountain of Gundabad (the birthplace of Durin I). Their intentions are made clear to their enemies as they chant ancient Dwarven songs whilst a path is cut through the enemy lines as a knife through butter. "Long live Durin!"
Among all the Dwarven clans the Ironfists are seen as the most warlike having spent lifetimes perfecting their fighting techniques against all manner of foes. They delight in the turmoil of war and can effectively break the lines of the enemy with their strong charges and mighty blows. Wearing heavy armour, even by dwarven standards, they march to war with fierce war masks and massive mauls.
Contrary to popular belief, the dwarves do not always shy away from war and the troubles of others. In truth, if their kin are threatened then the dwarves have been known to rally together in astounding numbers and crush their enemies. The last occurrence of which was the dwarven retaliation to the killing of King Thrór in T.A 2790, whereby the dwarves showed the world that they were a force to be reckoned with in the 'War of the Dwarves and Orcs'. The war called upon all of the seven families of the dwarves, and all answered the call. Now, as then, the dwarves of Erebor are threatened by the vastness of Rhûn and the plague like spread of the shadow of Mordor. They have called for aid from the four clans of the Orocarni and the call has been answered!
Long have the Dwarves dwelled within the Iron Hills, tapping the rich iron deposits that give the area its name. Long also have they defended it from hosts of marauding Orcs, foul creatures who fled eastwards after the fall of Morgoth and the destruction of Beleriand. Although perpetually outnumbered, the superior armour and greater skill at arms of the Dwarves allow them to endure the relentless assault and keep Orcs and other evil creatures at bay.
The mattock is the weapon of choice for many of the Iron Hills' warriors and it has featured in battle for them many times. At the battle of five armies, the reinforcements lead by Dain Ironfoot, Lord of the Iron Hills, came with heavy mattocks and helped sway the tide of battle. Since then, the Dwarves have trained relentlessly and have managed to master the use of larger heavier mattocks. This skill requires constant practice and few dwarves master it however those that do are truly awe inspiring, cutting through many enemies, cracking even the heaviest armour, and brushing off hits as they go, they are nothing to be scoffed at and can sway even the direst of battles in their favour.
Khazad-dûm was founded during the early First Age by Durin, the eldest of the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves. As such it is not only the greatest Dwarven realm in Middle-earth but also the cradle of Dwarven history and identity. It is the place where the greatest Dwarven heroes fought and also died as the Children of Aulë struggled to hold on to their ancient heritage as well as the precious Mithril veins found nowhere else in Middle-earth. Sauron's hatred of the dwarves who dwelled in Khazad-dûm and their elven allies caused the Misty Mountains to become infested with Orcs bringing the Dwarven stronghold under almost perpetual siege and plunging it into an uncertain fate. The vast underground kingdom's best hope lies in the elite warriors whose veins are said to run with the blood of Durin himself. The Guards of Khazad-dûm are outfitted with the finest Mithril reinforced arms and armour still available in the ancient armouries of their forefathers. Faced with swarms of orcs, Trolls and perhaps even greater horrors that dwell in the deep places of the Earth, the Guards wear Mithril lined steel masks representing their unflinching resolve to safe-guard their ancestral dwellings no matter the cost. The star emblem on their shields represents the crown of stars Durin saw when he looked into the waters of Mirrormere which led him to found his kingdom under the Dimrill Dale. Khazad-dûm is the key to the survival of the Dwarven legacy in Middle-earth and these staunch defenders are the key to its continued safety.
Although most of the races of Middle-earth favour the use of sword and spear in the conduct of war, no weapon is perhaps as associated with the Dwarves as is the axe. Indeed, axes are as useful to Dwarves as tools in times of peace as they are as weapons in times of war. Furthermore, the natural strength and stocky build of the Dwarves give them a particular affinity for wielding axes. Few there are who can withstand the might of a single dwarf armed to the teeth and wielding a long-hafted axe. Fewer still are there who can endure against an entire company of Dwarven axemen. The King's Regiments form the backbone of the unshakeable dwarven army.
Against men and elves, Dwarves are particularly disadvantaged by their short stature. To remedy this shortcoming, some Dwarven warriors have adopted the halberd, the crude -- though effective -- combination of an axe head and a long pole. In orderly formations, halberds allow dwarves to hold enemies off at range. However, for combat in close quarters, a Dwarven halberdier will often switch to a double-bladed axe in order to finish off his enemies. The King's Regiments form the backbone of the unshakeable dwarven army.
Each Dwarven realm maintains a disciplined force of wardens responsible for maintaining constant vigil over its riches. Heavily armoured and equipped with spear and shield, these warriors are trained to maintain cohesiveness upon the battlefield so that they can provide a bulwark against even the strongest enemy charge. As a result, companies of these soldiers are not particularly flexible, though they are extremely effective in holding key positions in the battle line. The King's Regiments form the backbone of the unshakeable dwarven army.
The King's Warriors make up the mainstay of Erebor's forces when the host marches to battle. Armoured with heavy iron chain mail or plate armour and heavily armed with battle axes, shields bearing the heraldry of their home and several throwing axes these Warriors are a versatile and intimidating foe to any they might face. At the end of a battle the Dwarves often search and collect their old axes, because they don't have the heart to leave them behind.
The Misty Mountains hold a great sorrow for the Dwarves for it was in the halls of those high peaks that many of their brothers died in the ferocity of the War of the Dwarves and Orcs. Indeed, the final battle saw the death of a great number of Dwarves and any descendant of those who fell in that battle holds their head high being the sire of a 'burned dwarf'. In reverence to their honoured dead, Dwarves from Ered Luin and Erebor, newly settled in the Mountains, have formed into ranks of formidable spear men; wearing the same armour of old and wielding mighty spears, they take to the battlefield in sturdy formations under the name 'Sons of the Fallen'. These battle hardened and hate filled dwarves wear very heavy armour and cost the lord who controls them a great deal. They fight with a fury rarely seen in Middle-earth and are perhaps the greatest warriors in the history of the dwarves save for Azaghâl's warriors who injured the great dragon Glaurung. They will see that the deaths of their fathers were not in vain; the Orc filth will be destroyed once and for all!
The Stiffbeards have a proud tradition of war and actively seek it out, as such, they have developed an effective scouting force, able to reign death down upon their foes from afar and possessing keen sight they are the Stiffbeards early warning mechanism and rarely disappoint. They wear light mail to keep them swift and wear a lighter helmet so as not to obscure vision. Dwarven archers are a rare occurrence but these stout archers are testament to dwarven resilience in the face of adversity.
Contrary to popular belief, the dwarves do not always shy away from war and the troubles of others. In truth, if their kin are threatened then the dwarves have been known to rally together in astounding numbers and crush their enemies. The last occurrence of which was the dwarven retaliation to the killing of King Thrór in T.A 2790, whereby the dwarves showed the world that they were a force to be reckoned with in the 'War of the Dwarves and Orcs'. The war called upon all of the seven families of the dwarves, and all answered the call. Now, as then, the dwarves of Erebor are threatened by the vastness of Rhûn and the plague like spread of the shadow of Mordor. They have called for aid from the four clans of the Orocarni and the call has been answered!
Endurance, stamina and resilience. These are the key teachings of the Stonefoot clan and a philosophy they live by. Marching to battle in heavy armour, with a large round shield and simple yet effective spears. They are the embodiment of endurance. Surviving on the battlefield long after many would fall and with the ability to keep up the fighting for a long time, they are a truly enviable opponent. Tales of their stamina and strong will spread throughout the lands of Rhûn like a wild fire and as such, the mere mention of their name spreads fear and terror throughout the enemy ranks.
Contrary to popular belief, the dwarves do not always shy away from war and the troubles of others. In truth, if their kin are threatened then the dwarves have been known to rally together in astounding numbers and crush their enemies. The last occurrence of which was the dwarven retaliation to the killing of King Thrór in T.A 2790, whereby the dwarves showed the world that they were a force to be reckoned with in the 'War of the Dwarves and Orcs'. The war called upon all of the seven families of the dwarves, and all answered the call. Now, as then, the dwarves of Erebor are threatened by the vastness of Rhûn and the plague like spread of the shadow of Mordor. They have called for aid from the four clans of the Orocarni and the call has been answered!
These artillery pieces resemble giant crossbows on a simple wheeled carriage. They can hurl javelins with great accuracy, and the power of these machines means that their bolts can pierce any armour.
Constructed of wood and capable of flinging stones large enough to crush a man's head, the catapult is a common sight on the battlefields of Middle-earth but, using their advanced skill as masons and craftsmen, the Dwarves have mastered the art of siege warfare and their catapults can fire grape shots, capable of cutting down any foolish enough to stand in the way and mortar shots; landing with explosive precision.
