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Our ancestors were slain, slain by the treachery of the Jackal Clan and the foul minions of the Dark Lord. The Blood Totems, their minds horribly twisted by the infernal magic of the Wilding, now have a focus due to the actions of Kahlin Cagn, the first Keeper. Our Blood Totems will lead our savage army as we seek to free the known world from the grip of the Devout. Hear the screams of their damned souls, let tooth and claw rip their flesh asunder, let their mind burn with the insanity of our fallen gods. All of my brothers in the clan of the bear stand united in our quest to see the servants of the Dark Lord driven back to the hellfire from which they were spawned. You will either live to see this day, or you will perish - however, you will perish with the blood of a legion of Devout to open for you the gates of Hell!
The Ringholds of the Dwarven Labyrinth are the most glorious creations of the greatest race of Chronopia. Carved from the living rock by the very gods themselves, they are a testament to the power and grace of the Dwarven gods and the race they created. To the outside world, a Ringhold resembles a massive pit, sometimes miles across. Rising from this central pit is a massive central column, called the God's Axis, which houses the heart Dwarven society. The God's Axis is linked to the bedrock by countless bridges and walkways and houses many thousands of Dwarves. At the base of the God's Axis, Dwarven society spreads out beneath the earth in a series of tunnels called the Labyrinth. The Inner Labyrinth is a tame area of fungi farms, stables for the many strange beasts of the Labyrinth, as well as dockyards leading to subterranean rivers that connect the Ringhold to the outside world. Beyond the Labyrinth lies an endless expanse of subterranean wilderness known as the Feral Dark. The Feral Dark is like a malignant ocean eating away at the borders of the Labyrinth, constantly seeking ways to erode and bring down the works of the Dwarven Gods. Even the Dwarves must exercise great caution when moving through the Feral Dark.
The core of each Ringhold is protected by massive doors known as the Titan Seals. Like the Ringholds, these doors were forged and set by the Dwarven Gods before the Gods were brought low by the treachery of the vile Jackal Clan. The Titan Seals protect all major entrances into the Ringhold - when they are closed, entrance to the Ringhold can only be accomplished through entering a maze of easily defendable tunnels. After the Wilding, the Titan Seals were all closed to prevent the other races of Chronopia from utilizing the secrets betrayed by the Jackals to enter and destroy the Ringholds
Since the closing of the Titan Seals, much of the Labyrinth has fallen into disrepair. Many miles of caverns and tunnels have been claimed once more by the Feral Dark. However, Graygon Cagn recently has ordered selected seals to be opened, making large parts of the Dwarven Labyrinth accessible once more. The race of the Dwarves is prepared not only to protect the heritage of their Gods, but to reclaim that which has been stolen from them. Let the other races of Chronopia beware the fury of the Dwarves!
While there are many Clans scattered across the land, a few have become the true rulers of the Dwarven realms. They are the Dark Tusks, Blood Bone, Horned Ones, Vultures and Wolf. Others have been destroyed over the centuries, most notably the vile Jackal Clan and the noble Dragon Clan. Some say members of the Jackal Clan still live, as part of the twisted Devout.
Each Clan is unique and becoming increasingly different in their ways to their fellow Dwarves, some more than others.
The Vulture Clan, with their Holds in the Southern Lands, are known to sell their swords to the highest bidder and are rumored to have fought alongside the Devout. Indeed some say they are nearly as bad as the thrice-damned Jackal Clan. They are regarded as good all-around fighters, but their expertise lies in fearsome missile weapon attacks - the fury of their crossbowmen is feared by all armies of Chronopia.
In complete contrast are the Dark Tusks. Led now by the four proud sons of Kahlin Cagn, they are perhaps the closest to the classical Dwarves of their own legends. They still maintain the strength and nobility as cornerstones of their domain - something that is becoming increasingly hard to do in these treacherous times. In battle, they charge fearlessly into the fray, seeking to impale their enemies with their wickedly horned helmets even before their weapons can deliver the killing blow.
The Wolf Clan is in many ways two Clans in one, with Black and Grey watching over their Ringholds together. The Black Wolves tend to favor war and the military while the Greys watch over the beasts and the administration of the Holds. All wolves travel in larger warbands than other Clans - however, they are the stealthiest of all the Dwarven Clans. Entire legions of enemies have been known to run in terror when they hear the fearsome howls of an attacking warband of Wolf Clan Dwarves.
The Horned Ones were close to the Dragon Clan and many have still to recover from memories of the brutal massacre when the Elven Duke Valimyr treacherously destroyed an entire Clan to further his own ends. Violent in battle, they tend to be extremely pessimistic, even by Dwarven standards, and have a strong dislike of all the other races, especially Elves. The only thing that warriors of the Horned Ones Clan love more than to feel the crushing blows of their horned helmets drive the wind from their opponents is when the sting of their weapons drives the very life from their enemies.
The Blood Bone adapted best to the new order and have had several glorious victories over other races. They have formed alliances with many of the other Holds and even fought alongside Elves, particularly those of Helios, against the Devout. Their power is increasing on the Dwarven High Council, just as that of the other Holds is lessening. Known as the strongest of all Dwarves, they are remarkably fast and agile in battle. Woe to the enemy who must face the onslaught of their claws.
Versatility: There are 26 different warbands and 15 unique individuals (officially published, more are presented in these pages), more than any other army in Chronopia (in what other game can a Dwarven general claim that distinction?). Granted, some of the differences between the legion warbands is little more than flavor, but this should not detract from their overall effectiveness. There are template weapon troops, missile troops, heavy weapon troops, fast attack troops, stealth troops, etc.
High Armor: The average armor value for Dwarven troops is a 22 to 23, with some Dark Tusks at 25. Only the Desert Wolves have an armor value less than 20.
Flavor: The Dwarves of Chronopia are more unique than Dwarves of any other wargame. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, you can always tell a Chronopia Dwarf from any other manufacturer's Dwarf.
Mix and Match Clans: Unlike the Elves, a Dwarven Army can consist of troops from any and all Clans. Many Dwarven Warlords, however, prefer to only field one or two Clans at a time, if only to avoid hearing their opponents cry "cheese" after each and every victory.
Lots of Figures Cast: While no army of Chronopia is complete, there is quite a wide selection of Dwarven figures in production. Proxies for figures not in production are presented in this webpage to help the Dwarven Warlord complete his or her army.
Speed: This is a bit of a myth - only the Dark Tusks, Vultures, and Horned Ones have troops with a MV of 2. All Blood Bone, Wolven, and every Dwarven unit published in the Land of Two Rivers and The Dwarven Labyrinth has a MV of 3. With lots of terrain present, the lower MV may not be a hinderence.
Cost: The cheapest Dwarven warband (excluding the Fire-Thrower Team) are the Dark Star Warriors at 108. There are no "cheap troops" like Goblin Spearmen, Elven Militia, or Swamp Goblin anything. Generally, you will have fewer figures on the board than your opponent, and the Chronopia system tends to slightly favor the unit with the most pieces on the board.
Small, Often Leaderless Warbands: Many of the best Dwarven Warbands are limited to four or five figures. This may not suit the tastes of many Warlords, so be sure you chose your troops well.
Lack of Magic: There are no Dwarven spellcasters, so all of your battles will be fought with weapons or claws. Some may see this as a strength since spellcasters can tie up many of your army points, but this is something that must be considered when choosing to be a Dwarven Warlord.
No Fliers or Tunnelers: There are no flying or tunneling units in the Dwarven Arsenal, but this is not a major setback.
