January 10, 2025
Hi everyone,
Every week we're highlighting the lore of a few factions for each of our games, and this week we're focusing on Age of Fantasy factions!
Dwarves
"Dwarves are short humanoids who have developed advanced steam-powered technology and runic magic. They wear heavy armour and rely on powerful ranged weapons to make up for their slow speed.
The Dwarves dwell in the ruins of their old holds scattered through the mountains of Tyria. During the Havoc Wars, Orcish tribes attacked their homes and subjugated their people while the Dwarf armies were campaigning. The Dwarves hoped their allies would rescue them, but help never came. Now they have returned to their holds and barred the doors to outsiders, determined to never allow themselves to be conquered again.
The Dwarven tribes were once spread throughout Tyria, but as the plains were settled by humanity and Orcs and Giants came to the grasslands, the Dwarves retreated into the mountains. They made their homes in their mountains, creating powerful fortresses surrounded by terrace farms on the heights, and dug mines deep below. For most of their history, Dwarves had to travel overland, often through hostile territory, to visit and trade with other Dwarfholds. They began to experiment with ways to travel safely, until they discovered powered flight, and their helicopter convoys became a common sight between the mountains of Tyria.
When Havoc arrived in Tyria, the Northern Dwarfholds were soon overrun. The northern Dwarves fought back even after losing their homes, and the southern Dwarves joined with the Great Alliance to protect their homes. With the Dwarven armies on campaign against Havoc, the Orcs attacked and soon conquered the Dwarfholds. The Dwarven armies were forced to return home right before the final confrontation with Havoc in order to save their families, however they were unable to defeat the Orcs who turned their own defences against them.
The remaining Dwarves had a difficult life under the Orcs. The Orcs drove the Dwarves out of their holds and took whatever they wished from their subjects. The Dwarves held little status, reduced to performing hard labour in the fields and mines, and with their former allies too weakened to help, they lived under cruel Orcish rule for generations.
Then the Great Rift tore through the land, destroying many of the ancient holds. Many Orcs were killed by cave-ins, whilst the rest were forced to abandon the holds, leaving behind much of their armour and weapons. The Dwarves took the opportunity to rise up, using whatever weapons and tools they could find to seize back their destroyed holds. Much of their ancient wealth was lost, either buried, carried away by Orcs, or traded away long ago. Despite this, the Dwarves were determined to rebuild.
Dwarves soon developed industries and new technologies like coal-powered Constructs and factories. Their once glorious holds laden with gold and gems are now polluted ruins, supported by steel and steam, and they venture out only to take what they need and settle old grudges. No matter what, the Dwarves will not allow their homes to fall again.
How will you defend your hold?"
Sky-City Dwarves
"Sky-City Dwarves are Dwarves who have developed technology to live in airborne cities, safe from the dangers of the world below. Lightly armoured compared to other Dwarves, the Sky-City Dwarves rely on flight and ranged weapons to defeat their foes.
The Sky-City Dwarves’ floating cities allowed them to escape the Orcish armies that conquered their kin. These refugees built their small fleets into airborne cities, travelling through Tyria and surviving on trade as they slowly tried to rebuild some of what they had lost. However, when the other Dwarves were freed, the Sky-Dwarves were scorned as cowards and treated as outsiders.
The Dwarven tribes were once spread throughout Tyria, but as the plains were settled by humanity and Orcs and Giants came to the grasslands, the Dwarves retreated into the mountains. They made their homes in their mountains, creating powerful fortresses surrounded by terrace farms on the heights, and dug mines deep below. For most of their history, Dwarves had to travel overland, often through hostile territory, to visit and trade with other Dwarfholds.
They began to experiment with ways to travel safely, until they discovered powered flight, and their helicopter convoys became a common sight between the mountains of Tyria. In order to facilitate this travel, large ships held aloft by lighter than air balloons were built to serve as way-stations for helicopter convoys. These were the first Skyports, which offered fuel, supplies, and safety to any Dwarves who visited.
When the Orcs conquered the mountain Dwarfholds, some Dwarves were already living and working in early Skyports. The inhabitants of these Skyports were workers, traders, and engineers with little arms or equipment. Without soldiers or weapons, the Dwarves living in the Skyports decided to take in what refugees they could find, before fleeing from the Orc armies.
These Dwarves discovered new resources that could be sifted from the clouds, which allowed them to remain aloft indefinitely. The skyfairing Dwarves began to trade with others in order to get the metal, canvas, and wood they needed to maintain their ships and build new ones. Slowly as they amassed more wealth, Skyports continued to grow, until they formed self sustaining settlements called Sky-Cities. Though it took generations to become self-sustaining, the Sky-City Dwarves still remembered their conquered kin. They began to develop weapons to fight the Orcs and sought out allies to help them.
The Sky-City Dwarves were still preparing their army when the Great Rift tore through Tyria. They retreated to the skies, only to discover that the Rift had damaged a number of the old Dwarfholds, and gave their kin the chance to rise up against the Orcs. They sent envoys, eager to reunite with their kin, but to their surprise, the Sky-City Dwarves were greeted with bitterness and hostility, as the other Dwarves felt that they had been abandoned. Now the Sky-City Dwarves have returned to the skies, leaving their estranged kinsfolk to rebuild the old holds, while they went back to their new way of life in the clouds.
How will you follow the ever-shifting winds to prosperity?"
Havoc Dwarves
"Havoc Dwarves are those Dwarves who have embraced the Gods of Havoc. Their slow moving soldiers are heavily armoured, supported by monstrous weapons and creatures created through dark rituals.
The Havoc Dwarves’ ancestors were conquered by Orcs and abandoned by their former allies, and so they have embraced the Gods of Havoc. The Havoc Dwarves now seek to reclaim their ancient homes, building a new empire of blood and brutality so that they might never be humiliated and conquered again.
The Dwarven tribes were once spread throughout Tyria, but as the plains were settled by humanity and Orcs came to the steppe, the Dwarves retreated into the mountains, building the Dwarfholds. The Dwarves’ ability to channel magic was limited compared to other species, so instead Dwarves became crafters and inventors, using runes to enchant items and imbue them with magic which their Rune Masters could later use.
When Havoc arrived in Tyria, the northern Dwarfholds were overrun by followers of Havoc, while the southern Dwarves joined the campaign against Havoc. Seeing their opportunity, the Orcs attacked and soon conquered the southern Dwarfholds. The southern Dwarves had a difficult life under the Orcs. The Orcs drove the Dwarves out of their holds and took whatever they wished from their subjects. The Dwarves held little status, reduced to performing hard labour in the fields and mines, and with their former allies too weakened to help, they lived under cruel Orcish rule for generations.
When the Great Rift opened, it tore through much of the Dwarven lands. Many Orcs were killed by cave-ins, whilst the rest were forced to abandon the holds, leaving behind much of their armour and weapons, and the Dwarves rose up and drove away any Orcs who remained. Some Dwarves began to follow the Havoc Gods, claiming that it was Havoc who liberated them while their former allies abandoned them. These Havoc worshiping Dwarves were banished by their former brethren, and forced to seek out the lost Dwarfholds in the north.
When the Havoc Gods saw the lack of arcane potential in their Dwarven followers, their attention shifted to other mortal followers. While their gifts still appeared amongst the Havoc Dwarves, it was far more difficult for the Dwarves to catch the attention of their new patrons. In order to account for their lack of Magic, they began to use captives as conduits for powerful rituals and magic. Through this experimentation, they have discovered how to use blood magic to overcome their natural weakness. Some Havoc Dwarves have managed to catch the attention of their gods once more using this magic, however, as always, the attention of the Havoc Gods is fleeting.
To further impress the Havoc Gods, the Dwarves have used their mechanical knowledge to build more powerful warmachines, golems, and weapons. They do this in the vain hope that the blood they shed and the empires that they build may finally satisfy their aloof patrons.
How will you appease the uncaring Gods?"
Volcanic Dwarves
"Volcanic Dwarves are Dwarves who have fully embraced magic, and now harness the power of fire to defeat their foes. They reject the heavy armour of their kin, relying on their gods’ divine strength to allow them to continue fighting, and on the volcanic beasts that fight alongside them.
The Volcanic Dwarves have abandoned the traditions and gods of their ancestors. These Dwarves did not return to their holds when the Orcs were defeated, as the scars of their humiliation ran too deep. Their thirst for revenge has led them south, to a new pantheon of Gods who have fostered their warlike ways.
The Dwarven tribes were once spread throughout Tyria, but as the plains were settled by humanity and Orcs and Giants came to the grasslands, the Dwarves retreated into the mountains. They made their homes in their mountains, creating powerful fortresses surrounded by terrace farms on the heights, and dug mines deep below.
When Havoc arrived in Tyria, the Northern Dwarfholds were soon overrun. The northern Dwarves fought back even after losing their homes, and the southern Dwarves joined with the Great Alliance to protect their homes. With the Dwarven armies on campaign against Havoc, the Orcs attacked and soon conquered the Dwarfholds.The remaining Dwarves had a difficult life under the Orcs. The Orcs drove the Dwarves out of their holds and took whatever they wished from their subjects. The Dwarves held little status, reduced to performing hard labour in the fields and mines, and with their former allies too weakened to help, they lived under cruel Orcish rule for generations.
When the Rift opened, it damaged a number of Dwarfholds. Many Orcs were killed by cave-ins, others were forced to abandon the holds and leave behind much of their armour and weapons. The Dwarves took the opportunity to rise up, using whatever weapons and tools they could find to seize back their destroyed holds. While most Dwarves returned to their old homes, some no longer felt that they belonged there. These Dwarves felt the scars of their defeat particularly strongly and wanted revenge. They rampaged through the steppes, using whatever weapons they could take to pillage and destroy any Orc tribes they found.
These Dwarves continued their rampage until they arrived to the Drake Mountains, a volcanic mountain range along the south of Tyria. They met a pantheon of warlike Volcanic Gods who encouraged them to embrace their rage. These Gods taught them to channel magic through runic tattoos, scars, and wounds on their bodies.
Many Dwarves chose to follow them, adopting a sort of monastic lifestyle in the mountains, honing their fighting skills and learning to enter a battle-trance. They are eager to get revenge on the Orcs and anyone else who they believe insults their honour. They have little interest in industry or craftsmanship, instead they live simple lives, honouring their new Gods, and slaying any who would question their honour or skill.
How will you avenge your people’s honour?"
That's it for this week, we hope you enjoyed this lore focus. :)
Happy Wargaming!
– OPR Team
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