Although the most northerly of the major Dwarf realms is Karak Kadrin, there used to be another hold situated on the southern side of the High Pass. Karak Vlag, which means "Desolation Hold" in Khazalid, was famed for its quality of stone-masonry. It had vast qualities of iron ore in the rocks below its walls. The blacksmiths of Karak Vlag were among the best in Karaz Ankor, some say even as good as the blacksmiths of the High King in Karaz-a-Karak.[1][2]
History[]
Karak Vlag was the northernmost Dwarfhold of Karaz Ankor. Situated just south of the High (Belyevorota) Pass that separates Kislev from its Farside colonies, the hold was famed for its ironsmiths, and the vast quantities of iron ore it mined beneath the nearby granite peaks. The ironsmiths’ greatest work was the hold’s great outer gates, upon which wrought-iron dragons were interwoven with scenes of battle depicting ancient legends of the time when the Dwarfs drove the great beasts from their caves around the newly founded hold.[2a]
Karak Vlag did not fall to the Orc and Goblin hordes. It was positioned far from the onslaught that forced the Dwarfs out of Karak Ungor and Karak Varn, and the hold’s massive fortifications deterred the comparatively small groups of greenskins that came this way. When the most serious attack came nearly 750 years later, the watchtowers built into the rocky pinnacles along the approach, linked by hidden stairs cut through the rock, gave the Dwarfs plenty of warning. After a furious fight, the Orcs penetrated the upper halls, but their forces were split by strategically dropped iron portcullises. The Dwarfs eliminated the pockets of invaders one by one.[2a]
For over 2200 years since the coming of Sigmar, Karak Vlag remained a remote, yet integral, part of the remaining Dwarf Empire. But the strength of its fortifications and the determination of its defenders were not sufficient to stave off the hand of Chaos. In 2301 I.C., a huge Incursion of Chaos flooded southward along the Worlds Edge Mountains. Karak Vlag was engulfed. After the Great War Against Chaos, Dwarf scouts from Karaz-a-Karak searched for Karak Vlag, but no trace remained. It was as if Karak Vlag had never existed. While some loremasters may harbour suspicions about its fate, Karak Vlag is not a topic spoken of by any Dwarf.[2a]
Destruction of Karak Vlag[]
For many centuries, Galrauch, the first Chaos Dragon, had lain dormant, sleeping in a deep cavern within the Worlds Edge Mountains. To the short-lived Men, Galrauch only existed in tales told to frighten children but other races had far better memories of this terrible creature.[3a]
The Dwarfs of Karak Vlag had long been mining deeper and deeper towards the heart of the world. It was Dwarfs from the clan of King Thurgrim Rockarm who stumbled upon his treasure-filled lair. The King was summoned and instantly recognised the great Dragon from tales that had been passed down through his ancestors. Alas, such is the Dwarf's fondness for gold that greed overcame all reason and the Dwarfs stole away with as much treasure as they could carry.[3a]
Before he had lapsed into his deep slumber, Galrauch had placed a curse on his precious hoard, and no sooner did the first Dwarf leave the cavern than the gold flared into a bright hue of rainbow colours. Galrauch woke. At first his mind was confused as the two consciousnesses that existed within him battled against each other. Then anger overcame reason as he saw the Dwarfs stealing his treasure.[3a]
Seeing the Dragon wake, the Dwarfs fled for their lives but Galrauch was upon the small party in an instant, devouring them whole. The King and a small bodyguard managed to escape the carnage, saved only by the brave sacrifice of his fellow clansmen. He quickly made his way back to his great hall, where he instructed the guards to sound the great horn that alerted the clans in the hold of approaching danger.[3a]
The Dwarfs made ready to fight the Dragon. Dwarf holds are built to keep attackers out but Galrauch was already inside the mountain stronghold and was able to snake his way through the tunnels and finely carved passageways into the heart of the Karak.[3a]
Now he had been awoken, Galrauch's twisted daemon mind was eager to wreak carnage upon the world once more. With hunger from centuries of slumber gnawing at his stomach and a strong desire for vengeance against the plunderers who had disturbed his rest, Galrauch attacked the Dwarfs of the hold.[3a]
The Dwarf warriors were brave and many of the older warriors still clung to distant memories of fighting Dragons in days long since past, but they were not prepared for the devastation the ancient Chaos Dragon was about to unleash. Galrauch was well-versed in the art of magic. He had not practiced his dark art for centuries and relished unleashing his ancient powers. Sorcerous blasts flew at the gathered dwarfs and even the magical runes of protection that had been carved unto the walls of the hold were unable to protect them from the barrage of attacks. For many days the Dwarfs battled the Dragon but even their most ancient Runesmiths were unable to save the fall of Karak Vlag to Galrauch's magic.[3b]
The few Dwarfs who survived the fall of the hold speak of it being so saturated in magical energy that it now no longer truly exists in the material realm. Instead, the hold phases between the Old World and the Realm of Chaos and now hordes of Daemons fill the great halls where once Dwarfen kings ruled.[3b]