Untergrund
Untergrund
banner_untergrund.jpg
motto
map
location in nora
Capital Eisenstadt
Largest City ?
Ruling Clan Klann Streitaxt
Demonym Unterian
Formation ?
Area ?
Population ?
Common Languages Dwarven, Common,
Giant

Untergrund is a dwarven empire located beneath and within the Wyrmspire Mountains. It is currently ruled by the Kaiser Yjvik Streitaxt in Eisenstadt.

History


see Dwarven History
see list of Untergrundian kaisers

Frieden Period (c3,000 – 2,600 PI)

The first dwarven sailors came across the Green Sea. They landed at what is now vanland and traveled south until they discovered the Wyrmspires. Over the next several generations, the dwarves slowly settled southward through the mountain's tunnels, warring with the native kobolds.

A force of hobgoblins began to occupy the southern Wyrmspires which lead to the Dwarven-Goblin Wars. In the Battle of Wasserfallpunkt, an army of outnumbered dwarves defeated the goblin forces three to one.

The dwarven art of atmenschreiben (rune-crafting) appeared and the first histories were written. The Book of Berg is the oldest known existing historical text. Geistlehre, or elementalism, spread and became wholly embraced by the clans.

Südhaupt Period (c2,600 – 1847 PI)

Soon, a strong dwarven state began to emerge with Südhaupt (present day Flachstadt) as its capital and the Ersterberg Clan in charge of administration. Atmenschreiben spread and became a high art. War epics were written and well received. This period is also characterized by the collaboration with human dragontribes through trading, culture and language adaption, and important political alliances.

Kaiserin Kupfer lead the Untergrund empire into a strong period of peace. Dwarven culture began developing rapidly. Crafting techniques became refined as well as literature.

Politics began forming into subtle art for the dwarves. Several clans rose above the others, grabbing political power as the dwarves began restructuring the political and cultural systems. The greatest clans at this time were referred to as the erschreckenungsvoll vier, or 'terrifying four'; the Eisen Clan, the klann-gelb, the Motte Clan and the Sturzhelm Clan. These four rivals finally turned on each other and began the Rüstungskrieg War.

Eisenreich Period (1,847 – 662 PI)

see Eisenreich Period

The Rüstungskrieg War was finally quelled as the Eisen Clan and its hauptlord, Feuereidechse Eisen or Steinkaiser Eisen took the Marbled Throne and moved the capital to Nordhaupt, renaming it Eisenstadt. Dwarven society at this time had finished its metamorphosis into contemporary feudal Unterian culture. To ensure dwarven culture remained uncorrupted, Steinkaiser Eisen began the Lokalisierung; Untergrund closed its doors to outside influences.

Steinkaiser Eisen ruthlessly persecuted the ancestral geistlehre faith and forced the ruling administration to begin praying only to Ornus. Eisen enforced this new holy crusade by making the high priests into princes of Untergrund. Some dwarven clans refused to convert and were banished. This group migrated westward to the Starlight Mountains and became known as the dream-dwarves.

Untergrund began to grow as Steinkaiser Eisen pushed his empire to the boundaries of the mountains. A series of spectacular military victories were won under the Steinkaiser's rule. Entire tribes of kobolds and goblins were destroyed or brought into slavery. The Riesiger Wars, a campaign against the giants also yielded great rewards.

Steinkaiser Eisen's son, Kaiser Stärke Eisen came into the throne after the death of his father, but was unable to keep his father's iron-fisted image. The clans began to bicker among themselves and were unprepared for the ogre invasions in which thousands of ogres attempted a massive genocide of the dwarves. The final stand was the famous Battle of Himmelhöhle, where the prayers of the losing dwarven priests were answered by the collapsing of the entire cave; an event known as the Geisterdbeben.

Although the ogres were defeated, the empire was devastated. Effectively divided in half, the empire entered into a century long civil war known as the Strassekriege. At first the war merely consisted of north against south factions, but as the wars carried on, soon several factions broke out. The war resulted in large areas of Untergrund being laid waste, a loss of approximately a third of its population, and a general impoverishment.

Untergrund fell into disarray. A plague spread from the piles of corpses known as the tanzenfäule. Famine, theft and murder rose to dizzying heights.

During this time, another war was being fought in the east. The Dämonenhexe War was being fought against an invading force of oni. The oni were viscous opponents due to their use of magic unknown or forgotten to the dwarves.

Rise of the Könige (662 PI – 7 NS)

This period marks the reformation of the empire. The kaiser was still recognized, but was unable to keep the entire empire under his rule. And with the current kaiser, Beschluss Eisen, a 34 year old child, a new leader needed to emerge. This lead to the instating of the Konige; kings of Untergrund. The Nordkonig Tapfer Meister and the Sudkonig Grau Wahrheit ruled over the clans, while still following the edicts of the kaiser and his chancellors. In turn, the hauptlords of the clans followed the edicts of the konige.

Amboss Dachs rose as a religious revolutionary and began to speak out against the Church of Ornus. He and his growing group of followers sought religious freedom and a return to the dwarven roots of geistlehre and the legalization of arcane and shamanistic magic. Dachs and his followers were imprisoned and put to death for heresy. However, his ideals spread still and eighty years later, legal religious persecution and the ban on magic were lifted.

Kaiser Beschluss died without a successor, and so Ulten Streitaxt is chosen by the konige as the new kaiser.

The reich was once again able to be at peace. Cities were rebuilt and alliances were reforged and pressure was building to reestablish relations with outside cultures.

End of Seclusion (1258 NS)

The long standing Lokalisierung was declared over and affairs began with Vatharond and later on, Nora itself. Colonies began to form on Vathroni mountain ranges and soon after, dwarven districts in towns, including Dwarfheim in Alexandria.

After the coronation of Kaiser utthilda-streitaxt, the power of the konige began to wane considerably. In an elaborate ceremony in Eisenstadt, the konige gave up their executive powers and returned to their place as hauptlords.

Recent History (1280 NS to present)

The current Untergrund reich is lead by Kaiser Yjvik Streitaxt. He is supplemented by the Rüstungsrat, a cabinet of hauptlords and other dignitaries. They are not involved with the Severing War, but are supplying Vatharond with limited supplies and dwarven troops.

Fall of Klann Veranix

Klann Veranix falls in In 1280 NS. In 1365 NS, Daegamar Granitecreisen, Karwick and Aeron Jun Brynmor free the Veranix clanhold from oni. The klann is officially disbanded by Kaiser Utthilda Streitaxt shortly after.

Battle of Three Dragons

Battle of Three Dragons in 1368 NS. Several dwarven clans came together to form an army, Sangar Zolmir II helped train them to fight the Order of Praavda. Klann Dreidelstein, Klann Ranzen, Klann Wagnis, Klann Drachenmesser and Klann Haarzins assisted in the battle.

Social Structure


Kaste

The Empire of Untergrund has a stratified society. A class structure divides the people into four Kasten (castes), plus the Mönche (Monks) who are outside the kasten proper. These four kasten represent the societal order in the Empire.

  • Eldaklaan (High nobility)
  • Rössel (Low nobility)
  • Handwerker (Craftsmen)
  • Arbeiter (Workers)
  • Wegwerfen (Throw-aways)

The highest kaste is the Eldaklaan, the high nobility. This kaste consists of the Kaiser, his family, imperial klanns and the Clanfathers of all major clans. They hold a position of absolute authority. They are wealthy due to imperial taxation, but they are tasked to never be callous to those of lower kasten. They are expected to always care for all dwarves. They are also demanded to show the highest moral conduct.

Slightly lower to the Eldaklaan is the Rössel kaste, the lesser nobility. These are the representatives of the dwarves to any outsiders. Warriors, diplomats and mechants are all seen as needed for the survivability of the Empire. The kaste is meant to first and formost, harbor good relations towards all outside the empire, and if that is impossible, then the Rössel are employed to ensure they will no longer be a threat. This kaste also includes the priests and clerics of the empire as they a representatives of the gods.

Below the Rössel are the Handwerkers, the craftsmen, artisans, weaponsmiths and builders. Some Handwerkers may rival the wealth of the Eldaklaan, but no matter their wealth, their political power is greatly limited. However, a handwerker is much more free to conduct his own affairs as he pleases without the burden of excessive debts of loyalty.

The lowest of all respected kasten is the Arbeiter kaste, which is made up of Miners, workers, servants, farmers and brewers. They are much like the peasantry of the human kingdoms.

Below even the Arbeiters are the Wegwerfen, or (Throw-aways). The wegwerfen perform the tasks that make them undesirable, such as entombing the dead or cleaning filth. This kaste also consists of slaves, habitual criminals and beggers. These throw-aways live in the deepest parts of the dwarven cities in seperated districts to remain unseen.

Klanns

Basic dwarven society is clan (klann) based, though all klanns swear allegiance to the kaiser and his family. Each clan is headed by a hauptlord, or Clanfather. Dwarf clans are extended families who can trace their ancestry back to a founding ancestor who may have settled a specific valley, built a strong hold or founded a mine. Dwarf clans are made up of many families, all of which share a common homeland.

Imperial Klanns

Northern Klanns

Southern Klanns

Outpost Clans (Vorklannen)

Former Clans:

Clan dagger

Called a sachsban, this broad dagger is carried by dwarves as a weapon, tool, and designation of clan. Losing or having to surrender a clan dagger is considered a mark of embarrassment to most dwarves. Few dwarves are seen without a clan dagger, a weapon forged just before an individual dwarf’s birth and bearing the gemstone of the clan.

Regions


map_untergrund.jpg
Regions of Untergrund

In Untergrund, all land is owned by the Kaiser.

Flora and Fauna


Mining


  • Electrum
  • Wolfram (tungsten)
  • Titan
  • Coal
  • Iron
  • Halite (very common)
  • copper
  • chromium (chrome, coats metals to keep from rusting, toxic)
  • uranium
  • antimony (toxic metal, makes acid, used in batteries, alloy with lead to strengthen)
  • mercury
  • gold
  • barite (brown crystal)
  • celestine (white crystal)
  • emery (black sand)
  • magnesite (crystal used in steelmaking)
  • marble
  • pumice
  • pyrites (sulfur)
  • clay
  • zinc
  • salt

Cities


Sites


Culture


Drinking

Dwarves have a reputation for alchohol consumption, but this is largely stereotyping. Dwarves consider public drunkenness a great shame. They believe it is bad luck to pour your own drink. And many humans forget it takes much more drink to make a dwarf drunk than a human.

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