The Iron Stone Temple

The Iron Stone Temple was founded by the first dwarven adventures to leave the Eastern Mountains. The forces of chaos were pushed back by Grd'ak the Vicious and his force of dwarven barbarians. He discovered the natural bowl in the Dragons Teeth mountains and after a divine vision he instructed his followers to found a new dwarven empire. He stood in the centre on what was to be named Ironstone Hill and anointed his hammer with finest dwarven spirit and struck the rock beneath his feet. The sound of the strike echoed like a thunderclap around the bowl as the rock split in two. So the new empire of the dwarves had begun.

From the date of the striking the city and temple grew, attracting dwarves from all of the old dwarven cities with a promise of a new start and a new opportunity. The rock that Grd'ak struck was taken and placed in the newly founded temple. It formed the centre of temple life and was used as a focus for worship. Every morning the priests would strike the rock with an anointed mithril ceremonial hammer as a call to prayer in remembrance of that first day. The hammer of Grd'ak also survived from the day of the striking but the head was split and the shaft splintered.

The rock and the hammer became the symbol of the new dwarven empire and had the power to install pride and nationhood. The stone and hammer of Grd'ak also became religious artefacts and symbols of the Ironstone Temple however they were both lost in the fall.

Where Grd'ak had first struck the rock o wood and stone temple was built. The barbarian followers of Grd'ak worked day and night to build the temple and after a year the final tower was completed. It is said that on the morning after the last stone was laid that the priests gathered to bless the temple. And as they waited the clouds started to gather overhead, the wind began to pick up and as the sky turned black a bolt of lightning said to be from the gods struck the tower. The bolt of lightning fused the rock and iron from the tower to the very foundations. This was taken as a sign that the iron stone temple and city would never fall.

But never is a strong word and eventually the temple and city would fall, As the great temple and the city prospered dwarves were drawn to it. They arrived in their droves from the old empire in the Eastern Mountains as they sought a new start. As the dwarves mined the mountains they discovered rich veins of ore which provided them with overflowing coffers as the Imperial empire greedily bought the dwarven goods. But this was to be their downfall, the first dwarves of the new empire became its noble families. As life became easy these powerful families became decadent and started to believe in the legend of their invulnerability. And as the money rolled in the dwarves became greedy and previously sound defences became neglected. The forces of chaos had long been defeated and the money was spent in the glorification and vanity of the dwarven empire.

The dwarves had fallen to such a low of military readiness that when the forces of Chaos resurged they had already lost. As Orcs and Trolls came south from the barren wastes the dwarves were forced onto the defensive. As the dwarves tried to repair long neglected defence they were beset by squabbles over contracts and control of legions. As the brave defenders fought to the last man, the nobles argued as to the price to be paid for the repairs and weapons. The contractual arguments a dishonouring mockery of the real fight on the borders.

As defeat followed defeat the leaders insisted that they were just strategic troop withdrawals and desertion by dwarves who lacked the right spirit. The truth was that they were slaughtered to a dwarf, let down by unprepared defences and a shortage of weapons and armour. The once great cannons and war machines of the dwarves remained silent, as extinct as the great lizards. As the years passed one by one the outer cities and mines became overrun. The Ironstone city became the centre for an every growing stream of refugees until only the Ironstone city in the dragon bowl remained. To say the least the outlook was bleak. The high priests and nobles made long speeches reciting the history and spirit of the founding of the ironstone temple and how it would never fall.

It was at this time as the forces of Chaos gathered for a final assault that the new saviour of the dwarves arose. Drodak Gordminson, a low caste dwarven ranger became delusional under a fever. He was a victim of the spoiled food and polluted water causing great disease and suffering in the city. As Drodak lay in a deep fever not expected to live through the night Moradain came to him. In visions he showed the young dwarf the nobles feasting while all around starved, the full treasuries while the wall defenders shared weapons and armour and the misguided belief in the ironstone temple never falling. After the visions Drodak's fever mysteriously cleared and he rose apparently in full health. Drodak spoke to his companions and told them of his vision and the foolishness of staying in the city, the arrogance of the nobles would be the end of the dwarven empire. As Drodak spoke he spoke with the power of Moradin and the people listened.

He told the people that for the sake of the dwarven nation they had to leave. Go to the human empire on the planes for safety until the dwarves had learnt they lesson for their arrogance. The word travelled through the city and soon a large number left through the great central shaft and down to the lower mine levels. It was from hear they walked through the dark down long abandoned shafts on to the planes below the dragon tooth mountains.

As the dwarves left the forces of chaos finally attacked, the nobles left their great houses to command the ironstone legions as was their right. But they had already been decimated by years of war and the few remaining troops had made a stand to enable the people to escape from the closing forces. As nobles ordered non existent units into battle the forces of chaos entered the city and ransacked it. The nobles were saved for the leaders of chaos and as the deformed and twisted forms approached a group of brave priests began the last rites for the city and temple. As the aspect of Kahr approached the last rites climaxed. The aspect of Kahr strode across the city to the temple to seize the power of Moradin. Entering the shattered temple the form grasped the stone that was once struck in foundation and screamed. The power of Moradin bound the unholy host to the rock, the aspect of kahr writhed and flayed but could not break the bond. Then slowly the rock moved drawing the aspect down the main temple street to the great shaft. The great shaft led down to the bottom of the great ironstone mine. Its upper levels had become the city of Ironstone but down in its depths the great rune masters and priests of the dwarves fought the great forces with their faith and magic. It was to this that the rock rolled and as it rolled the aspect was dragged by unseen hands after it. Finally it teetered on the edge, its surface dancing with magical energy before plunging down into the bowels of the earth. Only the scream of the aspect of Kahr echoed across the land as the forces of chaos froze. They were driven into a frenzy of insanity attacking everything and anything, reducing the city to rubble.

And in the morning light all was still. The city and temple in ruins the empire of the dwarves at an end. In the ruins the surviving forces of chaos staggered, their eyes unfocused they movements weak. As the sun rose the final forces of chaos left the city, their hands empty except for the blood of thousands of dwarves.