Karak Azgaraz

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King Thuringar Zaladrinsson Orc-hewer and his Council

Karak Azgaraz is a powerful Dwarf hold in the Grey Mountains. [1]

Its name means Hold of the Fearless Axes. [2a][5a]

Geography

The Hold is situated within Eyrie Peak. From the hold’s great gate a traveller on the road skirts a small lake, Copper Tarn before turning west and reaching Grey Lady Pass after two days. Alternatively another two days’ north is the human town of Ubersreik while four days’ south lies the city of Parravon. A precipitous highland track leads a traveller east for two weeks, passing a handful of smaller holds before they arrive at Karak Norn.[5a]

History

The hold is first established in -2200 IC as a trading town with the High Elves. [6a]

-2000 IC (Imperial Calendar), the Hold is part of the bitter War of Vengeance and sees three kings fall to the High Elves, their crowns taken. [5a] It is abandoned after the last sacking in -1981 IC but in -1969 it is rebuilt as forward operating base against the elves. [6a]

-1500 IC, the Time of Woes sees many dwarf refuges arrive at the Hold. [5a]

In -1066, the hold proclaims itelf as a Karak with Grom Mighty-axe as king. [6a]

King Mordek Strong-axe expands the borders of the Karak to its greatest extent by the year -925 IC. wars begin with invading greenskins in -830 IC. [6a]

The warriors of the Hold win the Battle of Kol Grimaz but it also shows the Dwarfs can no longer hold all their lowland possessions. [6a]

During the reign of King Bregan Firebeard or of Bregan Runefinder, men were often allies to the hold, fighting alongside them against the greenskin hordes. However after one battle, Uathach, a chieftain turned upon Thane Stronnomir and his clan and slaughtered them. Triumphant, he returned to his king bearing the head of Stronnomir proclaiming that humans would reign forever over the area. His king was greatly angered and cursed Uathach his men from the hall, bidding them to ride forever in search of war. [3a]

-1 IC, at the Battle of Black Fire Pass, King Gullin Flamemane and his Throng slay huge numbers of greenskins and settle many grudges by doing so. [5a]

Drumin Dumwinson, the Thane of Karag Dronar comes to the Hold. [3a]

In 828 IC, the High King sent emissaries to Ubersreik which had grown to a size worth watching whilst in 1221 the hold lends it aid to rebuild the town destroyed by the Skaven. [1a][6a]

As the Black Plague sweeps through the Old World, the Karak endures and Skaven are driven from beneath the Hold. [5a]

-1522 sees the last of the Wutroth groves die, logging parties venture into Athel Lorien and are slaughtered by the Wood Elves. A grudge against them is proclaimed. [5a]

When Orcs attack Ubersreik in 1707 IC, a force is sent from the hold to break the siege but they are driven away by the greenskins who sack the town. [1a]

Magnus the Pious leads an army against Chaos in 2302 IC and is joined by King Zaladrin Strifeaxe and the Throng of Azgaraz. However whilst they are away in Kislev, Greenskins return and sack Ubersreik. Unable to assist the manlings at the time, on his return Zaladrin helps rebuild the fortifications. Later in 2318, King Zaladrin lays siege to the ruins of Blood Keep to slay a Blood Knight and his entourage gathering power there. [5a] [6a]

In 2452 Zaldrin leads the Throng to victory at the Battle of High Mere but both he and his heir are assassinated by the Goblins near the end of the battle. His son, Thuringar Zaladrinsson Orc-hewer takes the throne. [5a]

After successful peace negotiations between Ubersreik and Parravon create a buffer zone between them in 2475 IC, Thuringar takes the eastern part of the territory to establish the Azgaraz Trading Post. [6a]

Locations

  • The Ancestors Gate: A fifty foot tall gate two thirds of the way up the mountain, guarded by many cannons and flanked by statues of Grimnir and Grungni. It is only opened for royalty, all others using a well protected side gate. [5a]
  • Copper Tarn: Named for the waters stained by the residue from the copper mine at the edge of the lake, the road to the Hold crosses it by a bridge, protected by a series of drawbridges. Trained cormorants are used to catch trout and a few small farms can be found nearby, growing hops for brewing beer.[5a]
  • Trading Post: The hold maintains a a fortified trading post at the entrance to Grey Lady Pass, providing a haven for travellers and for visiting merchants from the Empire or Bretonnia. [5a]
  • Watchtowers: A series of guard posts can found in the surrounding highlands and along the road to the hold using messenger hawks and beacons to warn of danger. [5a]

Notable

Trade

The hold mines silver from thin and fading seams beneath the hold which they trade with the humans of the Reikland along with metalwork, furs and ale. [2a][5a]

Gallery

The Dwarf realms
Karaz-a-Karak - Karak Kadrin - Zhufbar - Karak Azar - Karak Azgal - Karak Azul- Karak Hirn - Karak Angazbar - Karak Gantuk - Karak Izor - Karak Norn - Karak Ziflin - Karak Eight Peaks - Barak Varr - Karak Zorn - Karak Eksfilaz - Karak Kaferkammaz - Karak Grom - Karak Azgaraz - Karak Angkul
Norse Dwarf holds Kraka Dorden - Kraka Drak - Kraka Ornsmotek - Kraka Ravnsvake
Lost holds Kadar-Gravning - Karag Dron - Karak Azorn - Karaz Bryn - Kazad Thrund - Karak Drazh - Karak Dum - Karak Khazarak - Karak Krum - Karak Ungor - Karak Varn - Karak Vlag - Karak Vrag - Karak Zanda - Ekrund - Mount Silverspear - Karaz Ghumzul

Sources