Dun Garak

Dun Garak or "Ironforge"is a large Dwarven Hold that is part of Arnor. Following the fall of Karak Ankor , the Dwarves of Dun Garak decided to join with Arnor, and the two have worked together very well ever since. The Dwarves of Dun Garak were never completely content with their lot in Karak Ankor, and because of this they were one of the first Holds to abandon Karak Ankor to its fate and start it's own life.

Dun Garak is very notable for being the main route of transport between Westros and Arnor through the opening and closing of the vast Dun Garak tunnel systems. Through this gate and tunnel system they are able to allow or block the flow of movement through what is by far the quickest pathway from Westros to Arnor and this had made them very influential.

It is the ancestral home of the Clan Aedrian dwarves. Edrin Aedrian rules this hold and the surrounding Dwarven areas of Khaz Modan from his throne room within the city. Other then Clan Aedrian there are several other Clans of note, and it worth noting that Dun Garak is the capital of a rather large Dwarven Kindom in the Arnor Mountains that consists of several Thaigs and numerous mines.

Dun Garak was founded originally by Clan Aedrian of whom was fleeing the wars in Finland and didn't go to the World Edge Mountains but instead went to Central Europe and ended up in the lands that would become a part of the Empire of Numeron. As one of the western Holds Dun Garak was responsible for a lot of the fighting that occured in the War of Vengeance. During the war their Hold was attacked briefly by a force of Elves, but they closed the front gate, and harrassed the Elves for nearly two years until eventually the Elves abandoned the siege and went away. Following the events of the War of Vengeance the Dwarves of Dun Garak were tired of their membership in Karak Ankor. The Lord at the time wanted to rule himself without fear of being embroiled in some massive conflict that didn't effect them at all.

History

Early History

Dun Garak was founded originally by Clan Aedrian of whom was fleeing the wars in Finland and didn't go to the World Edge Mountains but instead went to Central Europe and ended up in the lands that would become a part of the Empire of Numeron.

War of Vengeance

Main Article : War of Vengeance

As one of the western Holds Dun Garak was responsible for a lot of the fighting that occured in the War of Vengeance. During the war their Hold was attacked briefly by a force of Elves, but they closed the front gate, and harrassed the Elves for nearly two years until eventually the Elves abandoned the siege and went away.

Fall of Karak Ankor

Main Article : Karak Ankor

Following the events of the War of Vengeance the Dwarves of Dun Garak were tired of their membership in Karak Ankor. The Lord at the time wanted to rule himself without fear of being embroiled in some massive conflict that didn't effect them at all.

Joining Arnor

War with the Empire

Main Article : Arnor War

When Edrin and his thousands of Dwarves entered the conflict they engaged the empire's soilders first in the Battle of Fornost during the inital invasion. The involvement of the Dwarves turned the tide of the battle as before this the massive array of firepower from the empires soilders was slowly wearing down the Arnor forces. The Dwarves though brought with them firepower on a level that was far above what the empire could offer and through this they were able to destroy the sieging cannnons, and damage quite extensivly the attackers army as well.

This wasn't quite enough as the empire forces had been ordered to take the city at all costs or risk execution back in Austria so there commanders ordered the entire army of the empire to attack the city. By this point there were several breaks in the walls so in each breach the forces of Arnor and the empire engaged eachother. The battle was in sway until once again the Dwarves came to the rescue when Edrin Aedrin led his elite palace gaurd in a charge against the command center of the empires forces. The attack was so far away from the main line and so open to counter assault that very few even saw them coming. The Dwarves rampaged through the commanders and destroyed basically the entire command of the empires army. With this destruction the force then moved behind each of the empires breaches and smashed the suprised forces from behind leading to a general retreat from the walls. The Empire's forces were decimated during the Battle and the Dwarves had lost very few soilders, and they moved along with the rest of the forces of Fornost in the quick rebuild of the breaches of the walls.

Second Arnor War

Main Article : Second Arnor War

Second Arnor War This right here is a line. If you cross that line my friend we are going to have issues. Stay away from Arnor. Leave it to its own devises and our two nations can have peace...If you threaten them, then I'm going to threaten you....It is that simple.

The Fall of Arnor
You told me about lines. I didnt want to cross the line. But here were are.

Austrian Invasion of Arnor

Battle of Krost

Main Article : Battle of Krost

“I could look out in the morning over the wall, and for a moment I couldn't see them. For a few moments they were hidden behind mist, and the trees. In those moments I liked to imagine the situation was different. I liked to think that my brother was still alive, and the world was at peace.”
— Liam Hemsworth

As the Empire invaded southward into Arnor the fortress of Krost was one of the areas they planned specifically against, and they would bring heavy artillery against the fort, alongside some ten thousand men at arms and two thousand knights would be sent under the command of Deiter Stroh of whom was a seasoned commander of whom was well aware of the skill of Liam and wasn't going to walk into a defeat as many previously had. Liam organized his defenses knowing they had to damage the artillery as best they could in the beginning or else their defenses would be greatly weakened, and for this he would array dozens of skirmishers in the trees before the army of the Empire was marching, and in the gaps large pits were constructed that would collapse when the siege machines passed over them. Deiter Stroh weakened much of this plan when he marched irregular troops first, and was well prepared for ambush from the trees and because of this the Arnorian skirmishers were heavily damaged and did little damage to the Empire army. The pits though were a different matter and they would destory upwards of half the siege machines in the Empire army while heavily delaying them as well as they filled them in so that they could keep moving.

“They were just a swarming thing moving against us. Whatever there commander thought he must have known the one strategy they had we had no chance against. There numnbers. They just had too many troops...”
— Liam Hemsworth

Fall of Fornost

Main Article : Battle of Fornost

Second Arnor War - Siege of Fornost Map — The Arnor Invasion was going completely the way of the Austrians. All across the front the border defences that had been formed to defend against small incursions were wiped out without any real casualties to the Austrians. These losses though could not be so easily replaced by the Arnorians of whom were retreating back across the front. Only at the the defense of Talheim, and Kost had the defenders on the side of Arnor been able to resist the Empire in any real form.

“Magheim had been sacked. Krost was completed surrounded alongside Talheim. Fornost stood alone, and if it fell this all came crashing down. There was no future for Arnor once Fornost went down.”
— Natalie Portmane

Marcel Lovie II. would lead the army of the Kingdom of Lucerne into the Second Arnor War as the vangaurd of the larger force that was being gathered by William Lovie III. Travelling through the lands of the Kingdom of Stor they used the tunnels of the Dwarves of Dun Garek in order to reach the besieged land, and they were joined by several hundred Dwarves of whom remained behind in Frostmore instead of heading to Fornost. Marcel Lovie II. would arrive to find the city completely surrounded by the forces of Austria and in this way he moved into the surrounding forest and awaited darkness.

“There were so many soldiers surrounding the city, and for a moment I felt like William Lovie II. who had saved the city on the back of a dragon. ”
— Marcel Lovie II.

Using the night as an ally he was able to get very close to the Empire army before they knew what was happening, and ambushing them while most of the army was either asleep or facing the wrong direction a brutal melee ensued. Marcel and Fredrick Clegane would cut their way through the army of the Empire with their personal elite gaurd and find the command structure of the army and Marcel defeated Driam taking him prisoner. With the defeat of Driam Troy the rest of the forces begin surrending, and Marcel would quickly send the prisoners southward towards Frostmore while he took Driam Troy into Fornost where his additional forces allowed Fornost to hold against the siegers all around them.

“I had hoped that Driam Troy's capture would bring them to the table, but despite him being a hostage they refused to even respond to diplmocay. It became clear easily enough that the Empire was not interested in Arnor surviving in any form.”
— Marcel Lovie II.

With the capture of Driam Troy Marcel and the other commanders attempted to use diplomacy to push The Empire back, but discovered none of their attempts were met by even communication. Realizing there would be no end to this fight and it would be fought to the last drop of blood Sif Hemsworth, and Marcel would come to the conclusion that they needed to hold at Frostmore where the defences were greater. Due to this plan Marcel would be influencial in keeping the royal family of House Hemsworth alive after he made them aware of the fact that the Empire forces had made threats of what would happen if they captured the members of House Hemsworth. The siege of Fornost would become even more dire and potentially disasterous when the illusive Priam Troy would arrive with a larger army and a clear thought of defeating Fornost through whatever means neccessary. With the knowldge that the city was going to fall he would lead his forces and some of the defending Arnor forces out of the doomed city and prepare to move to Frostmore where they would make their last stand. Marcel would do his best to console his cousin Natalie but was unable to convinse her to hide, and because of this he was forced to sadly say goodbye to his cousin who was so brave, and took Britney, and Lucie Lovie with him out of the city and southward towards Frostmore. Inside Fornost the defenders led by Sif Hemsworth remained resolute in dying in defence of the city, and they held the walls to the last man as the siegers led by Priam Troy broke through the walls in several areas. Charging through the gaps in the walls the defenders would initially attempt to hold the gaps, but overwhelming numbers forced them to retreat back to the keeps that lay within the city, and defend themselves from there. Falling one by one the keeps and strongpoints were no match for the unending armies of Austria, and thus the final stand was made at the Royal Fornost Palace.

“She was ready to die. Her life was a hollow shell now she told me, and I never knew what had saddened her to the point that she was ready to die. I took her son with me because she was a brave soul, and that kind of spirit needs to be protected as best you can.”
— Marcel Lovie II.

Priam Troy stood with the army for the first time demanding for Driam Troy's return but Sif Hemsworth laughed at him from the walls lying that Driam was dead, and that only his body would be discovered by the Teutons. Priam instead of ordering the storming of the keep would bring forth catapults and ordered dead cows fired into the palace grounds and did this the entire day causing disease to spread amongs the Atlantians. As the Palace grounds were bombarded with disease the rest of the city was pacified and the many nobles unable to retreat southward were taken into their control, including several members of House Hemsworth. As the defenders of the palace died in their dozens Priam begin firing burning oil into the palace and so few were the gaurds that they were unable to combat the fire and it spread horribly throughout killing the remainder of the defenders. Sif Hemsworth and a handful of defenders opened the Palace gates and attempted to meet their end in honorable combat, but Priam Troy would fire on them with archers, and crossbowmen killing them before this could happen.

Britney Turns Away

“I saw who my mother really was in that moment. She spent her entire life telling me how dearly she loved my father, and yet here was her chance to save my father's cousin and she wouldn't even raise a finger. It would have taken nothing to help him, and yet she did nothing.”
— Lucie Lovie

As the army of Marcel Lovie retreated southward it was still filled with several thousand troops of the Order of the Black Numenorians led by Britney Hemsworth, and it would be this force that would dramatically change the outcome of the Battle of Frostmore. As they approached Frostmore she would be alerted by one her agents using one of the Magi Stones of Lucerne that the region of Lorderon had gone up in flame after discovering that Arthas Menathil was a chaos servent and was heading north with an army now no longer aligned with Lucerne. Realizing that no reinforcements were incoming she knew the fate of Arnor was sealed, but she also knew she needed time to get away, and thus she ordered her forces to sneak eastward during the night as they camped. Not alerting Marcel to the betrayal of Arthas Marcel was shocked in the morning when a quarter of his army was gone, but had no choice but to continue on to Frostmore. Britney took the entirety of her force as well as draining some of the defenses of Frostmore and traveled eastward before traveling southward into Dun Garek where she and Lucie bid goodbye to Arnor and made their way southward to new horizons.

Arthas Moves North

“Don't do this Arthas. I just need more time.”
— Lucie Lovie

Last Stand of Marcel Lovie

“word from Dun Garek told me that noone was coming, and in that moment I knew what William would have wanted. He would have wanted me to retreat the army and save as many lives as possible. But as I looked around at the honorable people of Arnor I couldn't abandon them. So we fought, and so we died.”
— Marcel Lovie II.

As Marcel planned the defences of Frostmore alongside others he was horrified when the banners of the Empire of Valeria begin appearing on the western front, while The Empire's banners also begin appearing on the northern side of the fortress. Marcel upon all of these changes would make top priorty be the surival of as many of the Arnorian people as he could and they flooded southward into Dun Garek in increasing numbers as Frostmore turned into the last bastion of Arnor outside of Talheim. As the southern exit from Frostmore begin to be shut by the Valerians the remaining people inside Frostmore were forced to accept that they may be doomed, and Marcel did his best to quell the fear in the city, but it was as fear hit them that the Valerians struck against the western walls. The Valerians struck with hundreds of cultists, and more terrifying a few thousand demons struck the western walls and broke the moral of the defenders until Fredrick Clegane rallied them when he killed a larger demon. As the defenders rallied Fredick was struck by a black arrow killing him just as Marcel Lovie arrived to congratulate him on his turning of the tide. The defenders wanted to break and pull back but Marcel fought side by side on the western wall and held it for a time. During this desperate last defence while defending against cultists climbing up ladders it was Reingard Highdor that would be stabbed and slashed leaving his one arm gone and bleeding terribly from a wound to his stomach. Realizing that he needed help quickly or he would die it was Marcel that took him inside the tower they were defending and after telling Reingard that he would go and get a healer for him they both heard the fighting outside intensifying and opening the door saw the wall was falling. Realizing the situation Reingard would demand that Marcel leave and save the city over just him, and both crying they said goodbye as Marcel locked the tower door behind him leaving Reingard to bleed out in the tower.

“It shocked me to learn that so many troops had already gotten through the Dun Garek passe, and I was elated by the news of Arthas's arrival.”
— Marcel Lovie II.

Marcel would arrange his forces into Frostmore following this because he was sent ravens by Arthas Menathil that his forces were incoming, and that he should remain there as the entire Lucernian army was only days away. As Frostmore was surrounded Marcel was confused as to where the relief was, but remained rresolute in following what he had been told, and for this reason he didn't retreat from Frostmore. The Valerians finally broke inside the walls, and he was told that The Empire forces had disaspeared from the north heading northward, and thus renewed that perhaps they were retreating in fear of the coming Lucerne army he fought with new passion in the defence of the city. As the city fell he defended the keep to the last, and was defeated in single combat by a Valerian man who had wings sprouting from his body and was just barely alive as he watched the forces of Valeria pull back. Marcel would wake up and find Arthas standing over him, but Arthas had completely given in to Chaos and would kill Marcel before desecrating his body and leaving the city.

Alice Discovers the Truth

“Marcel is dead.”
— Alice Lovie

While uncousioness the link between her and Marcel leads to her feeling his final moments from his point of view, and after this she wakes telling everyone around her that Marcel is dead.

Conversation Incoming

Fairmarket. The Riverlands. Lorderon, and Kul Tiras. Westbridge. All had fallen to our might. All had sworn the sword to the Valley of Lucerne. All that power, and yet I looked north and saw a great demon the likes of which I could not hope to resist. The Empire was the reason for growth. The Empire was the reason for everything we did. The Empire was the land that should have done great things for the world, but instead of this they did nothing. They allowed chaos to breed amongst them, and in that weakeness and failing they threatened to ruin the entire continent.

I lay broken on the ground, and the pain in my abdomen was more then I had ever felt before. I tried to get myself off the ground, but when I attempted to raise myself I realized my left arm wasn't there anymore. Feeling hopeless I slumped down more and for a moment I tried to imagine that this was how it would end.

I turned my head to the right and saw several of the Valerians laying dead nearby, and slumped against a wall to my right was Erik Fahnrich with a spear through his chest. Looking at the dead eyes of a man I had known for more years then I can count. The eyes of a man that had gaurded me since birth. It was more painful then I would have ever thought looking into his eyes would ever be.

My eyes felt so heavy in that moment but I was able to keep them open for long enough to see Martin Von Heever stumble over a fence to fall in front of me. The picture of honor every moment I had known him, here he lay in front of me with an arrow protruding from the back of his neck. I tried to get up to help him as he coughed but the pain struck through and I fell back against the wall.

It was in that moment I knew it was all over. My eyes were just so heavy. Everything around me seemed to just quiet down as if it knew this was the end, and it wanted me to have peace in this place. As I closed my eyes I felt a force pull me upwards, and as I opened my eyes I saw Arthas Menathil and behind him several of his men.

"Arthas...how did you get here" He had an angry look on his face as he said it, and seeing all this must have brought him great rage. But through his anger over our loss I smiled up at him knowing I wouldn't die alone. I knew enough about injuries to know I wasn't getting up from this one, but he was a friend in this place, and that was something.

He looked at me perplexed for a moment before smiling a bit, and then answering me. "The call went out that you were besieged here. I'm only sorry that we didn't arrive in time." The Arthas in front of me now was not the gleaming purple armor of the man I had met all those years ago. His golden hair and purple armor had been replaced by darkness now, and I could barely focus my eyes but I could swear I saw some sort of mutation coming from his right side.

"Are any of my men still alive?" I had hoped that he would give me some kind of reprieve but as he answered there was just nothing in his eyes, and in my peripheral vision I saw what appeared to me to be a man of Lorderon but his face was dead. He was a skeleton, and as I turned to look at the other men I saw now that their armor was ripped and they stood now as the dead. "What madness is this...Arthas what have you done?" He looked at me for a moment before simply dropping me to the ground and staring at the sky.

"This world is something that has always perplexed me young noble. People sway, and they move as if they have some kind of control over what happens. You came here thinking that this would go the way it always had for people such as you. You were wrong young Marcel, and now you pay the ultimate price for your mistakes. I'm going to burn the world to pieces. I'm going to tear down everything and leave this world a ruin. Goodbye young Marcel." And the moment he said my name he pulled a sword from his side and before I could say another word he stabbed the sword through my chest. God didn't give me the fortune to die in that moment and as the life faded from me he pulled himself closer to my face and stared me directly in the eye. I wanted to make him leave. I didn't want it to end this way, and I squeaked out with what little strength I had left

"William help me..." He laughed at me before twisting the sword in my chest, and the moment he did a strange thing happened. It all just went away.

The clouds seemed to part...the pain of his sword in my chest disappeared into nothing. I could still see his smiling face staring down at me as I bled out, but it all just seemed less now.

As the pain went away I looked at him and I didn't feel sad anymore. He stared into my eyes and as he did the world around his face went dark, and then his face blurred into nothingness.

Points of Interest

Dun Garak is perhaps the most intricate of the cities of Arnor, boasting many small passageways, shops built into the rock walls, and cavernous rooms. The feel of the city is a bustling, rowdy, and somewhat industrial one, however, it is predominantly safe-feeling and cozy; fires roar in the hearths of the inns and shops, and much dwarven laughing and frivolity is to be heard. {C}The ceiling and floor are both hard stone. This gives the place a sanctuary-like feel.

Goverment

The Dwarves of Dun Garak are ruled officially by the King of Arnor, but they maintain there own King who rules all things in Dun Garak. The Dwarves of Dun Garak and the humans of Arnor are in this way partners in the defence of the land. The Dwarves have come to the aid of Arnor in every conflict it has been involved in. and for this reason the leadership of Dun Garak is very close to Arnor's rulers.

The current King of Dun Garak is Edrin Aedrian .

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